


Loveless

by MousyCh



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Adventure, Drama, F/M, Family, Fantasy, Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-08-23 13:59:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 32
Words: 63,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8330488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MousyCh/pseuds/MousyCh
Summary: The hatred Genesis felt towards Shinra didn't come suddenly. He had to leave a lot behind.





	1. 1

It was a clear sunny day of spring and nothing could darken it, no matter how many clouds were gathering from time to time. 

"Finally, my chance is here."

For Eloise Fair, that sunny day of spring was the day she joined Shinra as a 3rd class SOLDIER. It was like a dream come true. She wasn't as excited to begin her new training as to see her older brother, Zack. They've been working in different places and Zack would rarely visit their parents.

Her bright blue eyes widened in excitement as she walked inside the Shinra building. It was different than anything she had seen before, as an officer. The building was so high that it gave the impression it could reach the sun and inside, it was pretty much like a labyrinth.   
  
Her eyes fell over every door and every corridor, her head swirling with curiosities. She wanted to figure what was happening behind every door in that building, if she could.

"I wonder if he'll be happy to have me around...." Eloise mumbled, feeling like reality was finally settling in.  
  
She didn't announce her brother of her arrival. Actually, she didn't tell him anything at all! Eloise has been working as an officer for a while and she avoided meeting Zack in missions. 

"You mean me?" Her eyes widened and she turned quickly to face Zack. He had a wide smile plastered on his face. "I'm happy you're here, Eloise."

"Really?"  
  
He nodded, his smile never leaving his face. Those words meant a lot to her. She felt like she already accomplished half of her dream by standing in the same building with her brother.

"And who is this young lady?" The new voice made the two siblings stop their conversation.  
  
Eloise was a little taken aback by the older man but Zack's happiness level just increased.

"Young lady?" She mumbled under her breath.  
  
That man was definitely different than the men she had met when she was still an officer. The level of diplomacy was rising conform to the level of the skills, probably. Besides that, he was handsome. He didn't look that old butlooked like an older version of Zack which was a bit strange to see.

"Angeal this is my sweet, dear, extraordinary, funny, happy, messy younger sister, Eloise." Zack responded in one breath.  
  
Eloise blinked twice before chuckling. Zack was the same bubbly older brother that she could always rely on. She smiled softly, knowing that she had someone to hold onto.

"And Elly he is my mentor, Angeal Hewley. He is a 1st class SOLDIER."  
  
Eloise's eyes traveled to Angeal's. Even though they both had blue eyes, his were infused with mako; a lot of it. But there was something different about him, something that didn't have anything to do with mako or his appearance. He was soft and kind. She could see that reflecting into his eyes. It gave her more confidence, actually.

"You are his mentor. Then, does that mean you have to put up with his antics?" Angeal nodded while giving a soft chuckle. Eloise continued, "Does he follow you around like a lost puppy?" She wasn't joking even if it did sound like it. Zack was that kind of guy. If he'd hold admiration for something or someone, he'd transform into a lost puppy.  

Angeal cracked a smile and nodded, "Indeed, he does."  
  
Eloise watched Angeal and Zack as the younger of the two started complained to his mentor that he was _not making him look cool in front of the family_ , as Zack put it. Eloise's eyes moved on Angeal and she tilted her head to the side.

"So you are one of the legends, right? One of the three 1st class SOLDIERs?" She asked, her bright eyes staring holes into Angeal's face. 

Angeal nodded and smirked, glancing at Zack from the corner of his eye, "I can't see how she is your sister. She is definitely more perceptive than you were."  
  
Zack seemed quite shocked by the way his mentor was siding with his younger sister. He looked surprised at his mentor and scoffed playfully. Eloise shook her head at Zack's childish behavior. It didn't look like he was the older one at all.

"Can you show me where the lounge is? I heard they have the newest technology in here and I'd like to try those huge plasma TVs."  
  
Zack started to laugh while Angeal looked a little taken aback. Even if she looked more mature than Zack, they were definitely a family and would place fun before anything else.

They had to go back from where she first left. They walked through a lot of floors and even took the elevator until they entered the lounge room. There weren't many people lurching around but that didn't matter; what mattered was the room itself. It was wide and had even bigger windows; there was a huge TV in the room, suspended on the wall and a lot more however, there were just two long couches and they looked small compared to the number of SOLDIERs.

"It's incredible!" She was in awe. Eloise already labeled that room as one of her favorite places in the building; not that she had seen it entirely. The girl walked towards the windows and gasped. The scenery was beautiful

"So this is where you disappeared, Angeal,"  
  
Eloise turned her head quickly and stared into a beautiful pair of grey eyes. He was tall and had a different aura around him. He was like a statue: standing beautiful and proud among commoners.  
  
His eyes traveled to Zack first. "The puppy is with you, like always." It didn't sound as insulting as were the words. When he finally noticed her, he raised an eyebrow. "And who might you be?"

"You're Sephiroth," She breathed out, completely shocked to see him in front of her. "You're a legend. When I was an officer, I heard stories about you."  
  
He chuckled, though it didn't sound like he was amused at all. Zack rolled his eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders, assuring her that getting intimidated in Sephiroth's presence was normal. But on the other side, she just met Sephiroth! She didn't know how she should feel. Should she be scared or excited? 

"Were the stories good or bad?" Sephiroth asked, amusing himself with the young Fair.  
  
She blinked a few times and shrugged. When Zack felt her relax under his touch, he retracted his hands and walked beside Angeal. That left Eloise and Sephiroth, staring into each other's eyes.

"Should I lie or tell you the truth?"  
  
Surprisingly, Sephiroth started to laugh, though it didn't sound like laughter. It sounded like he was restraining himself a lot. He bent a little to be at her level and responded.

"Aren't them all the same?"  
  
Eloise was bit perplexed by his behavior but she didn't back off or get worked up. She only continued to stare into his grey eyes and responded.

"No. In some stories you represent perfection, the hero that everyone wants to become. But in other stories, you represent the danger of perfection. When someone is too good, there's the risk he is not real."  
  
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to her face. That was one way of putting the problem. He could remark potential in her. She had the attitude of a fighter but he still didn't know how good she was in combat. However, he already decided what her role was going to be.

"I like you." Everyone seemed surprised by his statement.

"Aren't those big words for someone your status, Sephiroth? You can't take her as your protegee." Angeal interfered, glancing between Eloise and Sephiroth with worry.  
  
The taller man glanced to his friend. "Why not? You have your Fair puppy, can't I take his sister as mine?"  
  
Zack frowned and looked at his sister, who seemed to be thinking deeply about what Sephiroth just affirmed. Angeal shook his head and walked in between the girl and Sephiroth. Both of them could already foresee a long discussion that was going to bore Sephiroth and he quite disliked the thought of Angeal's stories about SOLDIER pride and responsibility.

"I'd like that, if the offer is still available." The two legends turned to the younger girl and waited for her to continue. "I want to become one of the best SOLDIERs. There is no better way than getting trained by Sephiroth himself."  
  
Angeal was speechless while Sephiroth had the ghost of a winning smirk. Zack was still seizing the offer and wasn't sure if Sephiroth could increase Eloise's skills when last time he saw her, she couldn't defend herself well and had trouble holding a sword.  
  
"I guess, from now on, I am Sephiroth's protegee then?"  
  
Saying it out-loud was making it feel like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Looking into Sephiroth's eyes, Eloise felt like things were going to change a lot in her life and she couldn't help but look forward to it.


	2. 2

As the the day progressed, Eloise got quite a boost from having found a mentor, especially one such as Sephiroth who was the great hero of the age. Zack wasn't on the same trail as her, he was more worried than anything else and he wasn't sure if it was because of Sephiroth and his firm appearance or the way he fights so violently. Did he really want Eloise to end up fighting like that? Could she even last for more than a week?   
  
Zack sighed and pressed the button for her floor. Looking at her back, it was obvious she was trembling in excitement and she was happy. Zack shook his head and tried to think positively.   
  
Eloise found her room on the 25th floor. It wasn't anything fancy but it was moderate. It looked like a 5 star hotel room, if she were to be sincere. She was content with her new lifestyle. 

While she was looking through her new room, Zack rubbed his neck nervously, "You know, if you want I can talk to Angeal and then maybe-"  
  
Eloise rolled her eyes and threw one of the smaller pillows at his face. "It's fine. I want Sephiroth as my mentor. He is the best, right?" Zack nodded. "Then he will help me improve. I didn't enter SOLDIER just for fun, Zack. I want to do something meaningful. I want to help people and help construct a better world."

"Are you sure SOLDIER is the best place you can do that?"  
  
She nodded confidently. "If it will make me stronger, then yes." She sighed and jumped on the bed. "In the end, what can go wrong?"

Zack had a few ideas listed somewhere in a notebook.

* * *

That night, Eloise was so excited that she had to go to the bathroom numerous times. It was around 4 in the morning when she decided she had enough and wanted to get some fresh air. Unfortunately, she didn't know any balcony or any other room except the lounge and she wasn't even sure she could remember the way there. She walked groggily towards the elevator and waited patiently for it. While standing there, half asleep, she heard the sound of footsteps coming from down the hall. 

"And who might you be?" He asked but she didn't respond. "Aren't you going to respond to my question, newbie?"  
  
She rolled her eyes and glanced at him over her shoulder. Her eyes widened, surprised by what was standing there nonchalantly. He was taller than her, he was very handsome, he had red hair and he was carrying a book. But, what impressed Eloise were his eyes; his eyes were mako infused too but so clear and beautiful.

"Eloise Fair. I am the new 3rd class SOLDIER." She mumbled loud enough for him to hear.  
  
The man walked closer to her and stopped right beside her. He titled his head so that he could see her face better. It looked like he scanned her quickly, maybe looking for some kind of threat. He found none so he smirked and started to recite from his book out loud.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" He asked, though he wasn't even looking at her. His eyes were glued to the book. She didn't even realize she was staring until he told her.

"I am not interested in your book. Why don't you read  _silently,_ onlyfor yourself?" Eloise snapped, completely forgetting that he was a stranger and could easily overpower her if he wanted to.   
  
With slow moves, he placed the book into his jacket and continued to stare at the elevator. When it finally arrived on their floor, the two entered in complete silence. That, until the man turned to her.

"Where does the newbie want to go at this hour?" His voice was deep and husky; manly.

"The lounge." She answered coldly.  
  
The man pushed the button for her level first. It wasn't that far, the lounge was only 5 levels below. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and inspected him.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked after minutes of silence.  
  
The man chuckled but they already arrived on the 20th level. She exited the elevator but still turned to take a last look at the mysterious man.

"Why don't you find that out on your own, newbie?" He smirked devilishly right before the elevator doors closed.

* * *

The next morning was awful. Eloise woke up on the couch, in the lounge, her hair a mess and her face swollen. She had halos because she couldn't sleep enough and her excitement died fast. She glanced to the watch and realized she had to attend her new training session in 2 hours.

"You again." She was waiting for the elevator, like she did before. Somehow, the one who got out of it was the same guy as before. He didn't even glance at her and just passed her by. 

She had to take a shower, tame her black hair and dress in the uniform. However, when she walked out of her room, she realized she didn't know where she was supposed to go. Eloise went back to the lounge and started to look for a map or something helpful. Fortunately, Angeal was there. He smiled kindly at her and patted her head, like you do to a puppy. She shook his hand off and narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Careful, Angeal. This puppy might bite you." The same husky voice stated from the door.  
  
She tensed at the all too familiar voice. 

"I'm not a puppy!" She grumbled, trying to re-arrange her hair.  
  
However, the man came closer and messed her hair again with a content smirk on his face. 

"No. You are the new source of entertainment."  
  
She glared at him and scoffed before waving at Angeal and leaving the lounge.

"I just have to find the training room and everything will be fine." Eloise mumbled on the way down a random corridor.

* * *

It's been half an hour and she was in front of another elevator. She was late for her first training lesson as a SOLDIER and she knew that wouldn't look good in her file. She was growing frustrated.  
  
"Come on, how hard can it be to find it? There has to be some noise coming from that room." Her patience was running low. That wasn't obvious on her face but it was on her behavior; she was hitting the elevator button rapidly, hoping that it would come faster.

"Still didn't find it, hm?" That voice just made the whole situation worse. Eloise didn't need to turn her head to know who was behind her.

"We should stop meeting at the elevator..." She mumbled rubbing her neck tiredly.  
  
The man chuckled and took his respective place next to her. It was the third time in a day and a half. Why couldn't she have met Zack or Angeal instead? Why him? Why the redhead?

"But then it will take away the mysterious theme of our story." The strange redhead added cockily.  
  
She scoffed, "This is not a story. We're not living in a fairytale." She glanced at him and saw the book he was holding tightly on. "At least, I don't. You seem to be quite fond of stories."  
  
He raised an eyebrow and directed his attention on his precious book.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess." She raised an eyebrow ad watched him silently. "We seek thus, and take to the sky." He stopped when the elevator doors opened and they both walked in. He pushed the button for the 10th floor and for the 30th floor. The redhead was ready to continue when she interrupted.

"What is on the 10th floor?" She was genuinely curious.

"The training room for the 3st class SOLDIERs."

"Then what is on the 30th floor?"   
  
He smirked. "The training room for the 1st and 2nd class SOLDIERS."  
  
She crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted.

"So, that means Sephiroth will be there the whole day?" The man was curious how she knew Sephiroth. He was quite famous for his legendary fighting skills but she sounded like she had met him already. "Will he?" She repeated, growing annoyed with the lack of answers.  
  
"Is there a reason for your question?"  
  
Eloise nodded and smirked."Sephiroth is my mentor." She affirmed proudly.  
  
For a moment, the redhead looked like he didn't believe her. If she was the sister of Zack Fair, then she was a bad liar, just liker her brother and if that was right, he had a few questions for the hero.

When the elevator arrived on the 10th floor, Eloise tried to walk out but someone stopped her. He pulled her back in and kept a strong grip on her arm until the doors closed and the elevator started to move again.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, squirming in his grasp.

"We're going to see just how good you are to have Sephiroth as your mentor." His eyes were bright and had a glint of mischievousness. He was bad news.


	3. 3

In the end, the redhead did take her to the 1st and 2nd class SOLDIERs training room. Eloise was completely blown away when she saw just how well equipped and the technology for the better SOLDIERs. The room was bigger than any training room she had ever seen and it had a sophisticated atmosphere all around it.  
  
Sephiroth and Angeal were already there, waiting. They both frowned when they noticed the young brunette standing behind their friend.

"What is she doing here, Genesis?"  
  
So that was his name. The redhead let her arm go and she massaged it slowly. He held onto her tightly in case she wanted to run. 

However, Genesis smirked wickedly and walked towards Sephiroth.

"I heard she is your new protegee. Isn't that interesting?" He said, tilting his head to the side, his eyes tinkling.  
  
Sephiroth didn't look amused at all. His eyes traveled to Eloise and she froze. Probably it wasn't a good idea to tell Genesis about that but she felt like she needed to, at that time.

"That doesn't have anything to do with you. But yes, she is." He responded coldly, sending a shiver down her spine.  
  
Eloise glanced at Angeal who seemed to keep his eyes fixed on her.  The atmosphere was so intense that she could see the electricity coming from their bodies.

"Did you see her fighting before, Sephiroth?" Genesis asked, grabbing her and pushing her forward.  
  
Eloise gulped and looked down at her fidgeting hands. She might have been in the most embarrassing moment of her life and she wanted to run and hide for the rest of the week.  
  
But Genesis had other plans.  
  
"Let's see that now. Let's see just what is so interesting at this little newbie." He glanced at her and smirked.  
  
"That's not-" Angeal stopped when he saw Sephiroth take a few steps forward.   
  
With a heavy sigh, Angeal got out a phone from his pocket and pushed a few buttons. The room changed gradually. It looked like they were somewhere on a conduct from the mako reactors. Eloise ran towards Angeal and stoo next to him, gaping at the scenery. 

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek thus, and take to the sky." Genesis started sitting on top of a large crate.  
  
Angeal was next to him, leaning against the same crate while Sephiroth was standing at the edge of the large cannon that all of them were on. Eloise was on the other side of Angeal feeling uncomfortable.

Genesis started to read out loud from the same red book as before. When Sephiroth heard that first line he smiled or at least, it looked like his lips curved upwards. He turned around and walked over to the rest.

"Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest." Genesis continued.  
  
Sephiroth walked closer and stopped when he reached the three SOLDIERs.

"LOVELESS, Act 1."  
  
Eloise raised an eyebrow curiously. Genesis must have read it to them a lot if Sephiroth knew exactly what act is was.

Genesis smiled. He closed the book and put it back in his pocket.

"You remembered." He jumped down from the crate and stared intensely at Sephiroth.

"How can I not when you've beaten it into my head?" Sephiroth tapped his head with his finger twice, indicating just how annoying must have been. Suddenly, he grabbed his sword and held it to his side.  
  
Eloise was curious what was going to happen next. It looked like there was going to be a fight and she wasn't prepared to face such strong opponents just yet.

Genesis held his sword up in front of his face with the same mischievous glint in his eyes. Angeal got on his feet as well and grabbed his sword but Eloise didn't know what to do. She didn't have a sword, in the first place.

"Don't take Sephiroth lightly," Angeal warned Genesis.  
  
From Eloise's point of view, it already looked really bad. Genesis brought his sword down quickly and scoffed.

"Hmph, noted."

They both charged at Sephiroth. Eloise was perplexed by the whole sudden situation. Angeal got to him first and brought his sword down on him but Sephiroth pushed Angeal away and did the same with Genesis, but pushed him in the opposite direction.

Genesis recovered first and they clashed swords together then Sephiroth turned around and did the same with Angeal. He swung around in a circle and they both jumped back. Sephiroth stood in the middle glaring at both of them. Suddenly the whole fight became serious.

"Aren't you going to enter the fight, puppy?" Genesis taunted her.  
  
She blinked rapidly and and didn't know what to do. "I don't have a sword."  
  
That wasn't a good reason for Genesis and he threw her a look that pretty much offended her. Eloise's eyes traveled quickly over the whole surface and caught glance of a rod. It wasn't as good as a sword but at least it was something.

She tried to attack Sephiroth but unfortunately, he pushed her away rather easily. She had her own pride to fight for but he was really strong too. Genesis stood aside, watching her with bemused eyes. He was judging her every move, noting every bad move she took. 

Eloise charged again and again and their weapons clenched against each other. She narrowed her eyes, hoping it would help somehow but Sephiroth was too strong.  From the side, Genesis was on the verge of laughing at her and it pissed her off. That was one cocky behavior SOLDIERS had and her pride was crumbling at her feet. She wanted respect, she was craving for it, and therefore she was going to fight for it.

The girl charged again and Sephiroth pushed her with ease. She barely blocked his attack and kicked him but he could read her and foresee her next move. Sephiroth turned around and swiped his sword quickly at her, taking her by surprise before he pushed her one more time, sending her stumbling back.

Suddenly both Genesis and Angeal swiped their swords at him. Sephiroth held his swords up-and-down to block both of their attacks at the same time. He pushed them back and they stumbled but recovered quickly. Genesis and Sephiroth attacked each other and Angeal jumped in the middle. He brought his sword down to break them up but Genesis jumped over Angeal and spun in a circle. Sephiroth pushed him back, behind Angeal while Angeal charged at Sephiroth and they locked swords.

"Ha! Is that the best you can do?" Sephiroth grinned and pushed Angeal back.  
  
Eloise didn't really know what was going on. She took a few steps back and watched with wide eyes as the friendly fight just became more serious.

"All hail Sephiroth, eh?"  
  
Angeal smiled but Genesis wasn't playing around. She could see the hatred in his eyes; she wasn't even close to him but she could see it emitting from his body.

"Angeal, stay back." Genesis held out his arm in front of Angeal and lowered his head. "I'll take Sephiroth alone."

"Is he insane?" Eloise asked, running next to Angeal. 

"Genesis…" The dark haired SOLDIER muttered. 

Genesis held up his sword and ran his hand over it, flames leaping from his red sword. "The world needs a new hero."  
  
Was that what that fight was for? WAs that why Genesis' whole demeanor changed?

Sephiroth only scoffed, looking down on his friend, "Hmph, come and try."  
  
Genesis lowered his sword, his expression resembling one of an angry fox. "So smug. But for how long?"

The redhead charged at him and brought his sword down but Sephiroth just jumped back and swung his sword at Genesis's head. He ducked and brought his sword down on Sephiroth's head but he held his sword up. The cannon gave away a little and Sephiroth sunk into it about an inch. Sephiroth grinned and Genesis laughed. Genesis did a back flip then ran at Sephiroth again. They clashed swords together multiple times until Sephiroth sent him sliding backwards. Genesis ran back at him; he was very persistent.

Sephiroth brought his sword under Genesis's and flung him into the air before he jumped after him and they clashed swords again. Genesis was slowly starting to lose focus and lose his guard; he nervously blocked Sephiroth's next attacks. Sephiroth pushed him down and Genesis went hurtling back down to the ground. He growled and his hand started to glow yellow. That was something Eloise had never seen before, at anyone. The flames leaped from his hands and he threw ten fireballs at Sephiroth but he dodged them all. Genesis threw more fireballs at him but he cut through them all. The redhead threw more and more fireballs and Sephiroth got covered in fire.

Genesis growled louder and started to form a giant fireball. Fortunately, Angeal intervened and grabbed his arm.

"Stop! You'll destroy us all!" Genesis grabbed his face.

Eloise's eyes widened and she took a step back, afraid. She could feel her blood boiling inside her and her hands started to tremble. That was no good; the fireworks were coming and she wasn't prepared to share that bit about her with everyone. She tried to control her shaking hands and even her heart beat but the sight wasn't helping. 

"That's no way to talk to a hero!" Genesis screamed and blasted fire into Angeal's face, throwing him away. 

The redhead watched him fall before he looked back up, in time to see a flash of blue light come flying his way. He cut it in half and Sephiroth sent three more. He cut those in half as well. One of the flashes of light hit the cannon and cut it in half. Genesis ran out of air and landed on the ground followed by an explosion of fire. He jumped back just in time to dodge it. Sephiroth landed on the half of the cannon that was slowly falling. Once he disappeared there was an explosion at the tip of the cannon and Sephiroth lunged at Genesis who barely blocked his quick attacks. Sephiroth was now frustrated and started to cut the cannon into pieces.

Eloise couldn't move. She was beyond shocked. What was going through his head?!

The pieces fell into the water below. They locked swords and Sephiroth pushed Genesis back. Genesis bounced on the cannon twice until he finally landed onto his feet and slid to a stop. Sephiroth jumped after him. He held his sword back and Genesis ran his hand over his sword, creating more flames. They clashed swords together, making an explosion of light. Sephiroth pushed Genesis back before he brought his sword back and they charged at each other.

Eloise was struggling. The whole scenery was falling apart and her mentor was fighting like crazy with that annoying redhead. The adrenaline of only watching them fight was huge. She could feel the anger and annoyance in the air. The fireworks were invading her whole body, she was shaking and her irises dilated. She blinked a few times, feeling the electricity running through her orbs. 

Angeal jumped in-between the two SOLDIERs.

"Enough!"  
  
Genesis's sword hit Angeal's training sword and Sephiroth's sword hit the grip of Angeal's Buster Sword. He grunted at the impact and glared back at Sephiroth.

In utter silence, Eloise walked closer to them. Sephiroth glanced at her, his eyes softening up. That wasn't how he wanted to start their mentor-protegee relationship.

Genesis growled. "Out of my way!"  
  
Blue flames leaped from Genesis's left hand as he tried to punch Angeal. He missed and punched Angeal's sword instead, breaking it, one of the pieces cutting into his shoulder. Genesis cried out in pain and stumbled back. He fell down to his knees and grabbed his shoulder in pain.

"Genesis!" Angeal stood up and stared at him with a scared expression.  
  
The scene digitally melted away and red lights flashed all around. Genesis was still trying to catch his breath.

"Just a scrape." He mumbled. "I'll be fine, don't worry." He picked up his sword but was still swaying from side to side.  
  
Eloise, Angeal and Sephiroth watched him walk to the door. He glanced at her over his shoulder and cringed. That wasn't exactly what he had in mind, either. She wasn't supposed to witness the rage between two SOLDIERs.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return." He quoted, ready to go and lie down for a while.  
  
But Eloise couldn't hear anything but a buzzing sound. The energy was still flowing through her body, making her mentally unstable. She stumbled towards Sephiroth and looked into his eyes, aware of the changes in her body. 

"It hurts so much." She whispered, cringing at a sudden wave of pain running down her spine. 

"Are you alright?" Angeal asked softly.  
  
He tried to touch her but she electrocuted him so he took his hand back immediately. She wasn't able to surpass it for long and it has already been minutes.

It took everyone by surprise. She screamed really loudly and electricity shot from her body in every direction. When it was over, she fainted.


	4. 4

It was dark and her body felt so cold, like someone pushed her inside a frozen lake. Eloise knew she was unconscious but she couldn't open her eyes. Sudden light engulfed the place she was in and she felt warmth surround her body. It looked heavenly but once the light came closer, she got electrocuted by it. That resulted in shock and forced her to wake up for real.

"Is she going to be alright?"  
  
Eloise recognized Zack's voice but she couldn't respond; she could barely open her eyes enough to see blurry figures around her. 

"Zack," She breathed out, her throat sore and body aching all over.  
  
The overprotective brother frowned and leaned closer to her.  
  
"You're standing on my hand." Eloise continued after a very heavy sigh.   
  
Zack's eyes widened and jumped up. She moved her head to the side so she could see the other figures clearer but it resulted in a sharp pain in the back of her head. Eloise closed her eyes tightly and concentrated on the pain, trying to calm down enough to focus on the people around her. It was hardly a success but it was better than before. She could finally see Zack and three different hairstyles.

"What happened?" Her voice was hoarse and she started to cough.  
  
Zack frowned and grabbed her hand tightly. She turned towards the silver haired man, letting Zack act like a brother.

"You fainted." Sephiroth's response was simple and sounded incredibly objective.  
  
Eloise rubbed her forehead and shifted on the bed. She was in the hospital wing.

"Why are you here?"  
  
That question was directed towards Genesis mostly but it was also addressed to Zack. She didn't want him near her when she was in such a complicated situation. 

Her eyes traveled to Angeal and silently asked him to take Zack out. Thankfully, he understood her and dragged him in the hall. Sephiroth didn't budge from his place and neither did Genesis, who looked as pale as he did before she fainted.

"Are you going to explain to me what happened back in the training room?" Sephiroth asked in what sounded like a very cold tone.    
  
There was no sign of worry on his face. When her eyes traveled to Genesis, Sephiroth realized that she wasn't going to speak until there was only the two of them so he turned expectantly to the redhead. Genesis scoffed and left the room, as well.

"I feel like I should explain it to you but you won't believe me." Eloise started, raising a bit so she could lean against the mattress.  
  
He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. There was no way she could get away and lie to him under those intense grey eyes, staring at her so firmly that she felt embarrassed.  
  
Anyway, she continued, "It started a few months after I entered Shinra as an officer. The men were pretty rough on me and were usually making fun of my womanhood. It just came out of nowhere. I got mad once, really mad, and it just happened."

"What is it?" He asked coldly.  
  
She bent her head and stared at her hands,

"Electricity or blue energy, maybe. I don't know. You are the first person whom I'm telling this." She responded, looking down at her hands.

"Did anything happen to you before?"  
  
Eloise rubbed her hands together nervously.

"After I was accepted as an officer, I had to get a mako infusion. Every officer had to get it. But, my body refused it and I had to eliminate the substance from my body as fast as possible. I had an allergic reaction and I had to undergo surgery. I think that was the moment I started to feel all tingly," Sephiroth's eyes only narrowed slightly. She swayed her hand in front of her face and concentrated. "I can't control it. It comes out in different situations. Sometimes I am frustrated, sometimes I'm sad and lonely. It doesn't have a pattern. That's why I'm always scared that I will kill someone unintentionally."

"Did you tell your doctor about it?"  
  
She shook her head quickly. "No. I hadn't seen Doctor Hollander in years. I was 14 years old when it started. I am young and I can't control my emotions very well. What will happen the next time I will have a break down? I don't want to be a murderer."

"You won't become a murderer. I will train you and teach you how to control the energy. You don't have to be scared, Eloise. As long as you want it, you can achieve the respect you crave so much." His tone didn't change throughout the whole sentence. His eyes didn't soften and he didn't look any less intimidating than before. But the words were enough to make Eloise feel safe; maybe he was going to be the shield she needed.

"Oh, Sephiroth-"  
  
The warrior was ready to walk into the hall when she called after him.  
  
"Please don't tell anyone about me. I don't want to be seen differently." She mumbled, her wide eyes looking anywhere but her mentor.

* * *

Next morning, Eloise woke up in her own bed. She didn't like how uncomfortable was the hospital and the room was too white. The headaches stopped eventually but she continued to feel weird. She stretched and looked around. It was barely 5 o'clock in the morning and outside was still dark. Eloise made a few sandwiches and ate them quickly; at 6 o'clock sharp, she had training in a room and she still didn't find it.

Eloise was in the elevator when she tried to remember the floor she had to get to. Fortunately, there were two more 3rd class SOLDIERs who got on the elevator and they knew exactly where to go.  
  
The training went rather well. No one seemed to have realized that she missed the first session and the introduction. They weren't many, about 10 SOLDIERs and some of them looked like they needed some serious training. It was weird how quickly they advanced if they weren't even good in combat. Eloise was somewhere in the middle when it come to force; she had it but it was pretty obvious she was a teenage girl. She couldn't get into a fight against a man and expect to win and that was why she started to feel self conscious about Sephiroth as her mentor. He wasn't just a man, he was a legend. He wasn't going to go easy in combat and she started to get scared.

After training, everyone decided to have lunch at the canteen. She met her colleagues better and found out that most of them were in their early twenties. They were different than the officers, more open- minded and didn't care that she was neither young nor a girl. They welcomed her warmly and that made her happy.

"So you decided to become a SOLDIER because of your brother?"  
  
They were trying to get more information about her but she knew exactly what to say to remain a mystery.

"You can say that, yes. I admire him for his stubbornness and it got him pretty far. But, after I had seen people getting hurt and die, I realized that I don't want to be only a puppet. I want to be able to fight back."

"But Shinra is the one who controls everything. Those people were hurt because of him. I know, because the turks came once to my town and set it on fire." A blond officer whispered.  
  
The people around the table nodded.

"True. It happened in my village too. They came to tell us about an infection or something but it was all bullshit. A lot of people are forced to become officers so that Shinra won't be powerless."  
  
The guys were all getting into unimportant details about both the company and its business. They were SOLDIERs because they wanted to protect their loved ones and become powerful.

* * *

"Hey, Elly!"  
  
She heard Zack calling her name but she was too tired to move. It was around 4 in the afternoon when she finally got to lay down and relax. The lounge was full of people at that hour since the training sessions were finished for everyone.  
  
"Are you seriously going to ignore your older brother?" He whined.

She only rolled on her back and covered her eyes with her hand. "Yeah."

"How was training?" He asked, half amused half curious.  
  
She groaned and that pretty much summed it up. Zack understood her.  
  
"Are you ready for Sephiroth's training?" He continued, shaking two officers aside so he could sit next to his sister.   
  
She groaned again and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do I look ready?" Zack shook his head while laughing. "I'm kind of having second thoughts about that but I won't give up before I even begin."  
  
Zack patted her knee and smiled softly. "Good. He will work you really hard so you better prepare yourself mentally."  
  
She groaned again and fell on her back. It was so troublesome.


	5. 5

Eloise was groggily walking towards the training room, silently praying that Sephiroth will have mercy and understand how hard was the training for the 3rd class SOLDIERs. She knew he wasn't going to kill her but he wasn't going to let her leave without a few broken ribs either. When she arrived in front of the door, her hand was shaking on the knob and she wasn't sure if it was because of excitement or fear. With one last sigh, she opened the door and closed her eyes tightly.

"Are you going to keep your eyes closed for the entire day?" He asked calmly.  
  
She opened one eye to get a glimpse. The scenery was nice. He programmed the room to look exactly like a forest and he was standing in the middle of it. Eloise walked towards him while staring in amazement at the sight; it was all very realistic.

"This look really nice."  
  
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow bemusedly and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He was making her feel inferior from every aspect. She bit her lower lip and crossed her hands behind.

"You don't have to be shy. I'm not going to bite you."  
  
She titled her head to the side, like an innocent puppy. "I'm not afraid you will bite me. I'm afraid you will beat the shit out of me."  
  
Sephiroth chuckled and took a step closer to her before he turned his head to the side and pointed towards a tree.

"We won't fight today. Instead, I want you to learn how to control your energy. There are 8 trees around us, in a circle. We are exactly in the middle of this circle. On each tree, there is a target, smaller or larger. You have to use only your energy to hit the center of every target."  
  
Her eyes widened. "I don't know how to activate it. It doesn't have a button or something."  
  
He grabbed one of her arms, rather harshly, and pointed it at one of the trees. The SOLDIER tightened his grip on her arm, almost cutting the blood circulation while she cringed.

"Think about it. Think about something that makes you feel inferior."  
  
Sephiroth's presence was one good reason but he was her mentor. He was someone she admired, not felt disgusted or pressured.  
  
"Think about Genesis." Sephiroth whispered, still very serious.  
  
Her head turned towards him inhumanly fast. His face was blank and his eyes were staring at the tree. She sighed and closed her eyes. Genesis was a person she didn't feel inferior to but she was annoyed every time his face or red hair would appear. He was a mysterious bastard who always kept a book in his pocket. That book, she wasn't curious what it contained, but he was quoting from it nonetheless. She could feel the energy slipping through her body and with every thought about Genesis, it was growing stronger.

Sephiroth smirked when he felt a tingling sensation coming from her hand. Her let it go and she hit the target without a problem, right in the middle; not only that, she broke the whole tree.

"That was interesting." Sephiroth trailed, seizing the damage.  
  
She opened her eyes and stared at her work. The tree was on the ground, still emitting sparks.

"Indeed. It is a good start but you have 7 more trees. That one was easy. Let's see how you hit the others." He smirked and took a few steps behind her before pressing a button on his phone making the trees move. Some of them were rapidly getting closer to her, some were getting further away.  
  
Eloise rubbed her forehead and groaned. Of course it wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

After the training session with Sephiroth, Eloise walked straight to her room. She didn't need food or water. Everything she needed was a bed; a large and comfortable bed. Her back hurt and her fingers were a little pale; she consumed a lot of energy throughout the session. Sephiroth was one hard coach and he didn't let her leave before she hit every target and destroyed the trees in the process.

Like always, she met Genesis at the elevator. She tried to glance subtly at him but Genesis was very bold with his actions.

"You're glowing." He said out of nowhere.  
  
She's been taken aback by a lot of things Genesis said but now, it reached a whole new level. Genesis smirked and took a step closer to her, noticing the faint pink color in her cheeks. With every step closer, she was getting further and further away from him until she hit the wall. Instead of a scene taken from a movie, Genesis grabbed her arm and stuck it into her face.  
  
"Your hand is glowing blue." He remarked, the smirk never leaving his face.

Eloise was so embarrassed that she could just copy an oyster and plunge her head in the ground.  
  
Genesis raised an eyebrow bemusedly and chuckled. "Don't get your expectations too high, newbie. Just because you have electricity running through your veins doesn't make you special."  
  
That sentence made no sense at all. Eloise didn't understand what he was talking about. What expectations? About being a SOLDIER? She scowled and pushed the red head away harshly.

"I don't know what you're referring to and I don't think I want to. But, for your information, I won't change my principles. I have the right to hope and expect for whatever I want, no matter how improbable or not it might be."  
  
Genesis was ready to say something when someone else walked down the hall.

"What are you doing with my protegee, Genesis?" Sephiroth's voice was so different than how it sounded a few hours earlier.  
  
Genesis's frown only deepened.

"Your protege, huh." He scoffed and trapped Eloise between his hands. "Will it turn differently in a few weeks?" He asked ironically, glaring down at her with a suspicious glint in his eyes.   
  
Eloise had never realized that having Sephiroth as her mentor, and in such a short time, could make such a big difference. Now she knew. Genesis was one of the SOLDIERs that saw Eloise as a little fan, keen to spend time around the best SOLDIER in Shinra.


	6. 6

After the whole misunderstanding about Sephiroth and Eloise, Genesis went out. That little girl was infuriating and he didn't understand why Sephiroth took her under his wing. She was nothing but trouble and Genesis hated troublesome people.

He was aimlessly walking in the vicinity of the company building, thinking. Lately, his body was acting by its own and he had to go and talk to Hollander about it.

"Aren't you taking this whole matter at another stage, Genesis?"  
  
The red head didn't need to turn around, he knew exactly who found him in the dark.

"What are you talking about, Angeal?"  
  
The brunette walked closer to his childhood friend and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You're getting worked up over a young girl. Why are you overthinking the relationship between Sephiroth and his student? Let him help her improve."  
  
Genesis scoffed and shook his friend's arm off. He walked a few steps forward and raised his head towards the sky.

"Do you know what her dream is?" He chuckled and shook his head. Just remembering and he was laughing. "She wants to become a hero, just like her brother. But she's not going to be one. Her dream is nothing but a struggle."

"Why is that?"  
  
Genesis frowned and glanced at his friend over his shoulder.

"Because no monster can become a hero." Angeal was getting more and more confused but Genesis continued. "The energy running through her body is pure mako energy. That's why she can't control it. She glows because of it."  
  
Truthfully, when Genesis told Eloise that she was glowing, he was serious. She had a blue light emitting around her. He could see it because she probably used the energy in training.

"But her body had an allergic reaction to mako. Sephiroth told us that." Angeal combated.  
  
Genesis nodded. "Exactly. The doctor who did the surgery was Hollander. Why would one of the best Shinra scientists get so soft and help the newbie?"  
  
Angeal sighed. Genesis was right, there was something weird about that. Hollander wasn't the friendliest scientist around.

* * *

On the other side, Sephiroth was slightly worried. Eloise was pondering on Genesis' insinuation and her self-confidence was lowering with every thought. That was why, after she entered her room, he followed her inside.

"I'm fine. The training wasn't that bad. I won't die." She said coldly, not glancing at him.  
  
Sephiroth chuckled but didn't leave. He walked towards her bed and sat on the edge.  
  
Eloise sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Or you can just stay. That's fine." She mumbled.

"What are you concerned about? Genesis?"  
  
Maybe if he wouldn't have raised an eyebrow and cross one leg over the other, she wouldn't have become flustered. But he did, and she blushed profoundly.

"He hates me. We've met for the past two days at the elevator and all he does is make me feel annoyed. Should I feel offended or not? I don't even know! He is so annoying and confusing!"  
  
Sephhiroth's eyes followed her pacing around the room. She must have felt a lot of pressure since she was so affected by Genesis' teasing.

"You don't have to pay attention to him. You are his new source of entertainment. He does it for his own amusement." His words weren't comforting at all. 

"Exactly! I don't want to be his new toy. I want him to take me seriously. I am a SOLDIER too!" She snapped.

Sephiroth understood what it was all about. She entered Shinra Company because she wanted to be seen as more than a little girl, she wanted to be seen as an example, as a hero. But she lacked in one thing: respect. Her brother wasn't able to give her the kind of respect she wanted. Genesis was the only one who noticed her desire for respect and used her weakness in his favor. That was why she felt so frustrated.

"I know. But he won't stop until you prove yourself to him."

"So all I have to do is beat his ass?"  
  
Sephiroth chuckled but nodded nonetheless.

* * *

That night, Eloise tried to sleep but she was so preoccupied by her future as a SOLDIER that she couldn't close one eye. She couldn't compete against her brother. Zack was an impressive fighter even if he looked like a dumb puppy but nothing he or Sephiroth said could make her feel safe in her new position.

She ended up wandering around the Shinra building again. Eloise wasn't very tall and she was skinny. That was an advantage in case she had to run and hide. The building wasn't necessarily silent but it wasn't loud either; the echo was impressive but if you were inside a room, you weren't able to hear it.  
  
Somehow, Eloise ended up at the elevator again. She decided she wanted to see what was happening on lower levels therefore, she took the elevator to the 5th floor. She knew that the first floor was actually empty and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th were all accounting floors; 5th and up were all related to army.

The pattern was the same for the entire building. Every level had a large hall separating two sets of rooms. When the hall was ending, there was a room for either leisure or training. There were rooms that no one knew where they led to and one of them was on the 10th floor. It was made out of steal, unlike the others, and it looked like it was hiding something dangerous. She was ready to break the access code and get in but someone grabbed her wrist harshly and turned her around.

"What do you think you are doing?"  
  
Eloise titled her head to the side and bit her lower lip. "I was looking for the bathroom?"  
  
The red head's angry gaze softened slightly. She had a lot of guts to tell him that excuse.  
  
"Curiosity never killed anyone." She mumbled, shaking him off.  
  
Genesis raised an eyebrow and let her go. "That is strictly prohibited. It's Hojo's laboratory."  
  
Eloise rubbed her wrist and ignored what he said. She didn't know who Hojo was and she wasn't going to care about him anyway.  
  
"Let's go before someone comes and sees you here." He said, literally dragging her out of there.

* * *

"Why are we in your room out of any other possible room?"

After they entered the elevator, he let her free but when they arrived on the 35th floor, he grabbed her once again and pulled her towards an unknown place. She had never been on that floor before and had mixed thoughts. Firstly, it was nice to discover more of the building but being there with the redhead didn't really appeal to her. Secondly, there was no sound whatsoever in the halls so he was free to do whatever he wanted to her because no one would hear.

Thankfully, he didn't do anything. He pushed her inside his room and closed the door behind; no, he _locked_ the door behind.

Her eyes traveled around every corner of his room. It looked like a teenager was living there, not a SOLDIER.

"Because you weren't going to go to your room. You're always looking for trouble."  
  
She scoffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Eloise was there, in his room, a girl in a room with a boy, alone, yet he didn't seem to care at all. He put his sword somewhere near his closet, in a place that looked to be specially made for it. Next, he started to undress himself. First was his jacket which he threw on the bed. He was ready to grab onto his black shirt when Eloise shouted.

"Wait!"  
  
Genesis stopped and glanced at her. He looked really tired and her simple presence was annoying but he was the one who dragged her into his room. It was _his_ fault.  
  
"You shouldn't undress yourself so comfortably with me in here. I am a girl!"  
  
Genesis' left eyebrow raised and his lips curved into a teasing smirk.

He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and raised it slowly. Her cheeks were getting redder with each part of his naked chest revealed. It was amusing. The shirt was already up to his neck when he decided to let it back down. Her face was as red as a strawberry. 

"That wasn't funny." She grumbled. "Don't you think I have a special relationship with Sephiroth? What if it's true, huh?"  
  
Genesis's whole mood changed abruptly. His eyes hardened yet his face didn't show any different expression. That cocky smirk wasn't budging.

"There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds."  
  
She titled her head to the side and blinked. "But the hero you are referring to is not beloved by the Goddess."  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that true?"  
  
Genesis scowled and turned his back to her. He raised his hand to eye level and swayed it in front of his face.  
  
"Don't you want to become a hero, Eloise?"

It was quite a shock to hear him say her name. It sounded weird yet familiar. It was very strange but somehow, she liked it.

"I don't. I want to change the world but I don't care if I get to be an anonymous person. A hero is a hero with or without fame."  
  
He didn't respond for a while, probably thinking about her words.

"I heard you have been acquainted to Doctor Hollander," Genesis changed the subject, "Do you know what is that glowing light emitting from your body?" That was a rhetorical question. "That is part of his experiment. Your body didn't accept the mako energy therefore you had to get rid of it. But you have pure mako energy flowing through your body. Do you know how that is possible?"

"It isn't. My body refused it and that's final. Not even a scientist could make it work. I would die."    
  
Genesis started to laugh softly and glanced at her over his shoulder.

"There is one way you could live with it. Hollander conducted an experiment a few years ago. He injected a woman with Genova cells. That woman was Angeal's mother but she wasn't the only one. I was part of that experiment as well," Genesis started, "I was the failure while Angeal was the hope. My body is changing, growing weak. You are able to live because he infused Genova cells into your body as well."  
  
Her eyes widened."But Hollander injected me when I was just a kid. I was barely an officer. Is that the reason why I got so far?"  
  
Genesis shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. You have a piece of Genova in your body so your body is changing too."  
  
She was panicking inside her mind and that was obvious. Genesis walked closer to her and leaned to her level.  
  
"You have no chance to become a hero, Eloise. Monsters can't become heroes." He continued, a sneer gracing his lips.   
  
Eloise pushed him harshly, throwing him directly into the wall. She stared at her hands and saw her fingers emitting electricity. Her breathing became uneven and her pupils were moving wildly from one side to the other.

"I'm not a monster. I worked so hard for this. It cannot be in vain." Eloise said, her eyes moving on  Genesis who was steadying himself by leaning against the wall. She threw him pretty hard. "You're lying, aren't you? You see me as your play toy. You would say anything to make me weak. You want to see me break, don't you?" She was overreacting but she had a good reason for it. He told her something that might change her life.

Genesis chuckled but he wasn't amused, "That's what I wanted to believe but my body tells me otherwise." 


	7. 7

It took a few hours for Eloise to understand and register everything Genesis told her. On the other hand, Genesis was very calm and didn't seem to realize the position he put her in.

His eyes fell over the silent girl from around his book. Eloise was a simple girl and entering SOLDIER was the beginning of her life's plot. Her bright blue eyes were staring at her hands so he couldn't be sure what she was thinking or if she was scared. Genesis sighed and grabbed a hand through his hair. He didn't expect her to be so silent about it after he practically called her a monster. That was not how everything was supposed to go.

"Are you going to stay silent for the whole night?"  
  
She didn't respond but she did raise her head and looked at him. His eyes narrowed at the way she was staring at him with a blank expression. Genesis walked closer to her and moved a hand in front of her face yet she didn't even blink. He stared at her for a few minutes and decided to let her be. He walked into the small kitchen counter and started to prepare tea.

"What do I do now?"  
  
Genesis raised an eyebrow. She sounded so innocent and vulnerable yet those two weren't parts of her personality. He heard her shuffle around and glanced at her over his shoulder.

"Nothing. We have to wait for Hollander."

"After that fight between you, Angeal and Sephiroth, you got hurt, didn't you?" Eloise started, startling the redhead. "You are jealous of Sephiroth, aren't you? He is the perfect man, the one chosen to become a hero. On the other side, there is you."  
  
Genesis turned off the stove and turned to face her. He was very curious where she was going with her new found theory.

"I could say the same to you. There is Zack Fair, the puppy who follows Angeal around yet he improves fast and has big chances to reach 1st Class." He placed his cup of tea on the nightstand and sat beside her. "And there is you, Eloise Fair. A kid who was lucky enough to reach SOLDIER as it is."  
  
Somehow, she didn't feel as bad as she expected. He was speaking the truth. She was still a beginner while Zack had years of training behind.

"Who were you before SOLDIER?" She asked, her eyes enlightening.    
  
Genesis was a person who must have had a lot of secrets. He was different than Angeal and Sephiroth; livelier. He was genuinely feeling the rush of adrenaline during a fight.  
  
Genesis was a little taken aback by her sudden interest. "I was a simple boy who grew up in an ordinary environment."  
  
She furrowed her eyebrows in concentration and stared at him. He looked like there was nothing wrong with his body or his life in general.

"You are lying." She deducted. "Is this your only lie or is something you picked up in Shinra?"

Eloise was quite an interesting girl. She manipulated the whole conversation so that their prior subject got somewhere in the back of their minds. The brunette noticed how affected he was about the sudden change in his body and how much it meant for him to be seen as a normal SOLDIER. He wasn't normal, he wasn't a hero; he was seeing his own person as a monster and that was both sad and pitiful. She couldn't imagine how he felt but she could understand the need to become a hero.

"Aren't you curious about unimportant matters?"  
  
His personality wasn't going to change anytime soon. He was an annoying asshole until the very end.

"Were you the son of the landlord? Or a thief?" Eloise asked. She wasn't a person who knew when to give up.  
  
He sighed tiredly and walked to his door, unlocking it and opening it widely.

"You should go and rest for a few hours. Your training starts early in the morning." He was subtly telling her to leave but she complied without any commentary.

* * *

On the way to her room, she couldn't help but think about Genesis's past. He was careful about everything revolving his past and himself in general. He didn't look like someone who would get so defensive so maybe she was prying into his life too much.

The next day seemed to go like a blur. She couldn't concentrate on her daily training and she got in trouble for being too cautious in combat. 

Her mind was always going back to Genesis's words. She had a lot of power but it wasn't genuinely hers; the power came from Jenova cells and mako energy. It was a bit disappointing to know she got so far because of another element added to her body.

With those kind of thoughts in her mind, she was ready to go and live in solitude for the next few hours. However, her plan got postponed when she saw Angeal. 

"How is your training going?" He was obviously talking about Sephiroth because the 3rd class training wasn't very difficult.

"It's hard but I will survive." She responded with a shrug.  
  
Angeal patted her head as an encouragement before asking something else, "How about Genesis?"  
  
Eloise froze and looked up at her brother's mentor in confusion. Angeal chuckled under his breath, noticing how she looked exactly like Zack when he knew he was in trouble.

"What about Genesis?" Eloise asked too, trying to cover her nerves, "There is nothing going on with him."

"He told me to never respond to your questions about him. Did you two talk about something?" Angeal continued bemusedly.   
  
Eloise kept her innocent face. She was trying to get out of an embarrassing situation with a clear image. 

"E-LO-ISE!" Zack's voice echoed through the whole building.  
  
Thankfully, he saved her from Angeal's interrogation. Zack's happy face appeared from around the corner and eyed his sister.

"Guess who's going on a mission tomorrow!" She rolled her eyes expectantly. "You!"

Well that was indeed a surprise. She thought he was going to brag about his new mission but instead, he announced hers. Her head shot quickly to Angeal, who looked worried.

"Does Sephiroth know about her mission?" Angeal asked with a frown.  
  
Zack shrugged. He was too excited for his sister to think about her mentor. He was ready to call Sephiroth when the said man entered the lounge.

"I'm going on a mission." Eloise announced as soon as she noticed him.  
  
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. She wasn't as excited as her brother was; actually, she was frowning.

"I know." He patted her head in comfort before he continued. "It's not dangerous. You will be fine. But that won't excuse you from today's training." 

* * *

She had only two hours to relax and eat. Those two hours transformed suddenly into a conversation between Angeal and Zack. The younger SOLDIER rolled his eyes and pulled his sister closer. They were in the same building yet they had completely different schedules. 

Angeal started to tell his famous lecture, just in case she needed the advice. Sephiroth and Zack rolled their eyes, accustomed to Angeal's lecture. It was always the same.

"Never forget about honor, Eloise. A hero is nothing without his honor."  
  
She understood his point of view but Angeal didn't know about her. As a monster, did she have an honor at all?

In training, Sephiroth decided to teach her different fighting styles. She didn't have a sword so he concentrated on her hands alone. Eloise was very good with different weapons but in combat, she wasn't doing well.

Sephiroth beat her up twice until she got annoyed and used her energy to fight back. Surprisingly, the target training had been useful. She was able to hit Sephiroth and even scratch his forehead but his wounds were nothing compared to hers. She was seriously beaten up: had scratches on her face and body and her hands were burnt, her ego was slashed and her mind was fuzzy. She was done.

"Fucking asshole beat me before my mission." She muttered on her way back.

"What happened to you newbie?"  
  
Genesis just found himself on that floor. He wasn't necessarily looking for her but he knew there were big chances for them to meet. When he noticed how bad she looked, he couldn't help but feel amused. She was finally realizing what she got herself into.

"I don't want to talk to you right now."  
  
Genesis chuckled and leaned against her door-frame.

"Why? Did you realize that you got so far because of Hollander?"  
  
She shot him a glare. It felt even more offensive when someone else was voicing that hypothesis.

"I have a mission tomorrow, so please let me have at least one Genesis-less night." She grimaced and closed the door into his face.  
  
Genesis raised an eyebrow but didn't walk away.

"Take care of you Eloise. You don't want to kill anyone in your mission, do you?" He said through the door.   
  
The redhead took a step back when he heard something being thrown at the door. He chuckled and left for his room.

Unfortunately for the redhead, Angeal was on the same level. He didn't have to eavesdrop to their conversation since the hall had a good sound. He waited for Genesis to get to the elevator until he could talk to him.

"Aren't you taking the whole teasing process to a new level?"  
  
Genesis grabbed the book from his back pocket and opened it at a certain page. He decided he had every right to ignore Angeal for that assumption.  
  
The brunette didn't like his friend's silence at all. "She's just-"

"She is not a child anymore. She entered a dangerous place knowing fully what she was getting into. I am just realistic." Genesis interfered.

"But she is not like us. She is only a kid. You should teach her instead of teasing her, just like Sephiroth."  
  
Genesis closed his eyes and sighed deeply. 

"You are wrong, my friend. She is very much like us; more than you can imagine."  
  
Angeal furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. There were many secrets that Genesis wasn't willing to tell him.


	8. 8

The next day, really early in the morning, Zack took it upon himself to wake his sister up. The door to her room was unlocked so Zack had the possibility to enter without a problem.

"Rise and shine! Today is going to be a wonderful day for you!"  
  
Eloise groaned and barely remembered what he meant. It was the day of her first mission as SOLDIER. Suddenly, the morning became brighter and she found enough confidence to get out of bed and shower. She walked out of the bathroom in only a towel. Zack was family and didn't care much about her growing feminine parts - she was the same young Eloise; forever and ever- but Eloise was a girl and quickly shooed her brother out of the room.

She dressed in her SOLDIER uniform and smiled contently. Unfortunately, she didn't have any sword to compliment the whole appearance; her training sword was somewhere in the building and was used only in training.  
  
That was why Sephiroth decided to come by and give her a small present.

"This is a sword." She stated, pointing at it. "Are you sure is not for training?"  
  
Sephiroth shook his head and chuckled. "Use it wisely or else I will double your training."  
  
Her eyes widened and she gulped. Training with him was hard enough as it was, she didn't need to suffer twice a day.

"Yes, sir!"  
  
Sephiroth's gaze softened as he patted her head. She was young and short compared to him so she was very squishy from his eye level.

* * *

"Welcome to your first time in my office, young SOLDIERs!" Director Lazard exclaimed in a suspiciously good mood.  
  
The first time Eloise met him was when she had to pass the test for the 3rd class. He was reluctant at first but she made quite an impression afterwards.

"You five young 3rd class SOLDIERs will go on your first mission under my watch. It's quite easy. What you have to do is retrieve an important document from our secret source in Nibelheim."  
  
The five SOLDIERs nodded and saluted. The four men walked out of the office while Lazard grabbed Eloise by her uniform.

"Yes, sir?"  
  
He smiled kindly at her and made a sign to follow him. Lazard took something out of a pile of files and gave it to her.  
  
"What's this?" She asked completely confused.

"Give this to the source. I trust that you won't read it. Also, that document has to be protected by any means, Eloise. It's very important for our cause."  
  
She blinked, growing even more confused, "What cause?"  
  
Lazard chuckled bemusedly. She was such a naive young girl.

"Right now, our cause is to protect Shinra from AVALANCHE. Have you heard of them?"  
  
Eloise nodded. She had heard about a group of eco-terrorists opposing the actions of Shinra.  
  
"What are your thoughts about it?"

"Well, sir, I think they are right in some points. Shinra is drying the world from its Lifestream but at the same time, I am grateful for Shinra's technology and innovations. It's all for a better life."  
  
Lazard's smile widened and he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"What a thoughtful young girl you are. I am glad you enrolled into SOLDIER, Eloise."  
  
His words didn't sound like a compliment at all but more like a subtle threat. She wasn't sure what to believe and what to extract from his sentence.

* * *

"Are you ready, cadet?"  
  
After she exited Lazard's office, she frowned. She glanced at the two files she had in her hands and titled her head to the side, curious of what was written in there.

Zack was trying to be funny and make his sister feel confident. When he saw how troubled she looked, his eyes lost their playfulness and he hugged her.

"Are you alright, Eloise?"  
  
She squirmed into his arms and pushed him away. "I'm not a kid anymore." She mumbled, tidying up her uniform and hair.  
  
Zack chuckled and leaned against the wall. "You're younger than I am."  
  
Eloise scoffed. "Yes, by only a few years. It's not even that much. I have to go. See you when I come back." She saluted her older brother and walked away.

* * *

"So, tell me again why that document is so important."  
  
One of Eloise's mates was an idiot. If he wasn't as strong as he claimed to be, he was perfect as a buffoon. Thankfully, the other two colleagues were more perceptive and more patient.

"Because it's important for Shinra. Don't you understand? We are Shinra's lackeys."  
  
Eloise rolled her eyes. They were going to have that bad Shinra discussion again.

"Weird. I thought Shinra's lackeys are the turks." One of her mates mumbled, shifting in his seat.  
  
The pilot scoffed and started to laugh.

"Hey, that's not nice! We're more like his bodyguards."  
  
Eloise's head shot towards the pilot, hitting the SOLDIER beside her in the process.

"Isn't that the same thing but addressed in different ways?" That statement was meant for her ears only but the redhead heard her clearly.  
  
He glanced at her over his seat and winked.

"I didn't know SOLDIER hires girls too. I'm Reno, yo." He didn't seem to be older than she was. "Aren't you going to tell me your name?"  
  
In only a few long moves, Reno let his partner take control of the helicopter while he moved in the back. He sat in front of her, squishing the other two SOLDIERs into a corner. Reno stared at her with wide curious eyes that were a bit creepy.

"Eloise Fair, 3rd class SOLDIER." She mumbled.

"Fair. Why does that name sound familiar?" He wondered, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "Oh, I know! Zack's family name is Fair, right? So, you are his sister?"  
  
She nodded groggily. Reno's eyes brightened before he leaned towards her expectantly. Eloise wasn't sure what he wanted from her so she just asked the first thing she could think about. 

"Are you going to wait for us in Nibelheim?"  
  
Reno shook his head. "No. You will have to spend a night there. We, Shinra's lackeys, have another business to attend to later tonight."  
  
Eloise shot a glare to the mate who addressed the turks like that but he simply turned his head tow the side.

"What if there is an emergency?" Reno raised an eyebrow before she added quickly, "Just in case, I mean."

"If there is an emergency you can call us and we will come as fast as we can. Take my number, just in case." He just turned her words into his favor.


	9. 9

A few hours later, Reno had to let Eloise go. He whined and tried to make her give up on her original mission just to go back with him but that didn't work well. She punched him really hard in the ribs.

"You are one hard woman to please, aren't you?" One of her colleagues asked.  
  
She chuckled and patted his shoulder. "You have no idea."

Except Gongaga, which was her hometown, Midgar was the only city she has been to. Being in Nibelheim, it felt new. The surroundings were different and the people were acting a bit differently as well. The team decided to do whatever they wanted to as long as they will meet at a decent time at their cottage.

Eloise was used to wander new places all alone but at that specific time, she felt like someone was watching her. Every corner she took, she felt like someone dangerous was waiting for her, ready to kill her. She didn't know why she was so paranoid. At one point, she felt like someone genuinely started to follow her. She panicked and glanced over her shoulder a few times, just to be sure.

While trying to escape from her own paranoid mind, she lost counts of how many streets she turned. In the end, she got lost. She sighed and stopped before going into the wrong direction once again.

"Are you lost?"  
  
It was a girl with the biggest brown eyes Eloise had ever seen. She must have been around her age.

"No. I mean yes. I'm not sure..."  
  
The stranger smiled. "I saw you walk in circles. You passed this street twice already." Eloise felt embarrassed so the girl added, "It's alright. Where do you need to go? I'll show you."  
  
Eloise rubbed the back of her neck, a bit confused. She didn't have a place she needed to be at yet.

"A bar would be nice. I didn't get to eat."  
  
The stranger nodded and told Eloise to follow her.

* * *

The two girls walked in silence for a couple of minutes until the stranger started to talk.

"So you work for Shinra Company? Don't you know what they do to the Lifestream?" 

"I do. But as long as the world doesn't suffer big changes, then I am content with my life."  
  
The other girl sighed. "It will kill everyone at some point. SOLDIERs are dangerous. You should take care on whose side you are going to fight for."  
  
Eloise nodded, her mind swirling with thoughts that weren't exactly positive.

"Do you know AVALANCHE?"  The SOLDIER asked the girl suddenly.  
  
The girl's eyes widened and she stopped mid step. "Uh. I just realized that I have something to do. Yes. If you walk a little bit more, you will find a place to eat. Good bye!" She said and ran quickly into the opposite direction.  
  
Eloise remained all alone in the street, wondering if it was bad to discuss AVALANCHE with civilians.

* * *

The day progressed slowly. When it was time to meet the rest, Eloise felt her feet heavy. It was definitely not her good day. She stared at her sword for a while. She couldn't help but smile when she remembered her mentor's good intentions. He was really handsome when he was smili-

"No, no. Bad thoughts, Eloise. Don't do what Genesis expects you to." She shook her head and tried to ignore her hormones.

The way to the cottage was eventful. She almost got lost for the second time that day and she almost got robbed. People weren't happy to see her, she deducted. A lot of people didn't sympathize with Shinra.

"So, how was your day?"  
  
In the end, everyone met at the planned hour though the guys were tired and smelled of alcohol. She rolled her eyes and excused herself, going directly into her room and locking the door.

Eloise showered and changed into a long shirt before jumping on the bed. While trying to get some sleep, she remembered her discussion with Lazard.

"What is our cause exactly?" The brunette asked herself, turning on one side and staring at the drawer.  
  
She bit her lip and sat up, curiosity crawling up her whole being. In the end, Eloise did exactly what her boss ordered her not to: she he took the file out and read it. At first, it didn't seem to be anything important but with every sentence read, she realized what that file was about.

"Project Jenova..." She continued to read.  
  
Genesis and Angeal were part of that project but they weren't the only ones. She was too, she knew that much. They have been infused with Jenova cells but it seems there is someone who was born from Jenova cells; an experiment that succeeded their expectations. There wasn't any name written so the source probably knew who that person was.

* * *

Around midnight, she woke up from her slumber due to a loud noise. She jumped off the bed and concentrated on her senses. There was no one in her room and nothing was touched. She opened the drawer and sighed in relief when she saw the file untouched. Eloise walked towards the window and scanned for any weird movements. She caught sight of a shadow figure running away but it could've been anyone as long as it was in the street. There was nothing she could do and there was no evidence that someone entered her room either. 

The next morning, she woke up worried. She had a tight knot in her stomach and couldn't eat anything. As the day progressed, the knot only got tighter. Something was going to happen; something bad.

"Are you sure you didn't eat something rotten yesterday?"  
  
Her mates were oblivious and all had lighter or heavier hangovers.

"Why did you drink so much if you knew you had to be fresh the next morning?" She hissed, seeing how most of her colleagues looked like they needed medicine.

"Because God knows when we will have the chance to drink again! The rules at Shinra are very strict, Eloise."  
  
It didn't seem like Shinra was as strict as they were insinuating. Genesis was always roaming the halls in search of trouble and Zack wasn't far either. 

"You guys are stupid," She muttered. 

When they arrived at the meeting place, they had 15 more minutes to spare. The guys started to look around, talking.

"Do you think it's a girl or a boy?"  
  
Eloise rolled her eyes and leaned against a tree. They were older than her yet they were so immature.

"I think it's a guy. I mean, the source is usually a guy, right Eloise?"  
  
She shrugged. That didn't matter for her.  
  
They waited for a whole hour and the source didn't make its appearance yet.

"Do you think we have been stood up?" One of the guys punched the one who expressed such words.

"We're not on a date, Karr." The younger boy, Karr, shrugged.  
  
But he might have been right. Eloise grabbed her phone and searched for Reno's number, as a measure. She knew that people weren't very fond of Shinra but they weren't stupid enough to fight them, right?

"This is wrong. It's too silent." Her eyes traveled over every tree and every bush. It was a clear place so there was nowhere an intruder could hide.

They heard noise coming from a few feet to the left, enough to draw attention. Eloise grabbed her sword but didn't move; instead, Karr walked a little closer to that side and tried to catch a glimpse of what was coming. His eyes widened when he figured it wasn't anything human. He took a few steps back and froze. Eloise narrowed her eyes in order to see what was coming before she, too, took a few steps back in fear.

"Reno, we need you to come and take us as fast as you can. It's urgent!" She sent the message before she turned off the phone and put it in her pocket. "What is that?" She asked the others.

"I believe it's a summoned creature!" One of them answered. "I think we should run now, guys!"  
  
They looked at each other and nodded. They ran as fast as they could but they couldn't take that monster to the village.

"We have to fight it!" She shouted towards Karr.  
  
The boy bit his lip and grabbed his sword. They stopped running and faced the creatures: three uglies that looked like they have been taken out of an action movie.

Karr was the first to attack. He launched at it as if it was a normal human but the creature easily caught his sword and threw him away. He hit a tree but was still alive. Eloise was ready to run to his aid when another creature ravished his body.

The color in Eloise's face drained. She swallowed nervously and grasped her sword tighter. The brunette knew why her body suddenly froze; it was fear. She closed her eyes tightly and thought about everything she learned. She could do it, she knew she could but fear was still a very strong factor. 

While trying to defend herself from one creature, she wanted to at least wound the other. The three remaining guys were all concentrated on one while she had to take care of the other two. Eloise dodged multiple hits and jumped around like a toy, noticing one of the guys getting burnt, making him unable to move his leg anymore. She gritted her teeth and launched at that particular creature. She dodged its red hand and slipped between its legs; all four of them. Somehow, she managed to climb on its back and hit it continuously. The creature struggled, trying to throw Eloise off. It would have been possible for it to throw her if Eloise would have not stuck her sword in its back. Without realizing, while pushing the sword deeper into the flesh, she let her energy flow through her hands. The creature struggled for a few seconds until it fell down and disappeared.

Eloise ran to her mates and helped the wounded guy up. The creatures growled loudly and shot fire from their mouths. She tried to dodge it but she got burnt.

"Sky, take care of Eloise while I help Matt!"  
  
Sky nodded and slipped a hand around Eloise's torso. She wasn't as wounded as Matt but she did welcome the help.

They ran, dodging and defending themselves but it was getting difficult with Matt's leg wound bleeding profoundly.

"Where the heck are you Reno?" She mumbled, the pain in her hand growing even though it didn't look as bad as Matt's.

They heard Matt yell in pain before he fell on his knees. Sky launched at one of the creature while Eloise and the other guy tried to defend Matt. A flash of light went past Eloise and she winced. She heard Sky groan and fall on the ground from the other side. They were helpless.

Eloise stopped and looked up at her mate.

"Take Matt and run as fast as you can to the center of the village. I already called Reno. He should come soon."  
  
He nodded and helped his friend up before running without a glance behind. She ran to Sky's burnt body and helped him up.  
  
"Run." She ordered but Sky shook his head.  
  
He was able to stand on his feet therefore he was able to continue to fight.

"How did you kill the other one?"  
  
Eloise's eyes widened. That was it. Her hands were the perfect weapon.  
  
"You have a plan don't you?" Sky asked, flinching slightly.

"Try to slip through their feet and hit their back."  
  
Sky nodded and launched at the closest creature, hitting it several times while the other creature ran to Eloise. Her grip on the sword tightened and she closed her eyes. She breathed in and out slowly before she opened her eyes, her orbs shining brightly. The girl narrowed her eyes and launched at the creature. She hit it a few times and did exactly what she ordered Sky to do. They both climbed on their backs and pushed their swords deep into their flesh. Sky's creature squirmed and threw him into a tree. Eloise's sword was glowing; she was losing control and she knew it. She let the energy flood her body and she screamed as energy shot from every part of her body. The creatures growled and fell on their faces.  
  
The enemies disappeared but Eloise wasn't done. She shot energy into every direction and made a medium sized crater around her. After she got drained of power, she fell on her knees.

* * *

The brunette waited for a few minutes until she regained her senses. She groggily walked towards Sky and slipped a hand around his torso, having enough strength left to get him to the helicopter.

"Hey! Eloise! We're here, yo!"  
  
Matt was safely tucked into a blanket in the helicopter. She was more than happy when Reno's bald partner grabbed Sky from her arms.  
  
"Hey, are you alright? Can you hear me, Eloise?"  
  
Without a word, she fell unconscious into Reno's arms.


	10. 10

The next time Eloise woke up was in hospital. She groaned and tried to move but her head was spinning. That was the price she had to pay for saving herself and her fellow SOLDIER mates.

"You woke up."  
  
That voice wasn't Zack's. The man standing on a chair had a red book on his lap and was watching her thoughtfully.

"How long was I out for?" 

"Three days."  
  
Her eyes widened and quickly rose on her bottom. Her head was still hurting but her vision was getting back to normal. 

The redhead sighed and walked closer to her bed, placing the book aside.

"You used too much energy. What happened in Nibelheim?"  
  
She rubbed her forehead and groaned. "It was a trap. We had to take an important document from some secret source but it never came. We were attacked by three creatures. Karr died, Sky and Matt were badly injured and I-"

"You're fine. The mako energy in your body already healed your arm."  
  
She swayed her arm around, inspecting it before leaning back.

"I failed my first mission."  
  
Genesis raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to her. "It was a trap. Those guys were lucky to have you there."  
  
Eloise could hardly believe Genesis said something nice about her and he could see it in her eyes that she was still registering what he said.  
  
"Tonight, after everyone leaves you alone, come to that lab you tried to sneak into." He added quickly.

"Why?"  
  
Genesis scowled. "We have to talk to Hollander "  
  
That reminded her of the file. She wasn't supposed to read it yet curiosity got the best of her. Hollander and Hojo were acclaimed scientists in Shinra and they worked on Jenova Project.

* * *

After Genesis left the hospital room, Eloise remained all alone. She didn't dare ask where the others were, afraid that they might magically appear on the spot.

She had enough time to think about Nibelheim. It wasn't only the summoning of three dangerous monsters that bothered her but the thought that someone went through all that mess to kill them. But what for? The file about Jenova Project was still in her possession.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she tilted her head to the side to see who entered.  Two mischievous green eyes  looked around before falling on the patient. He smiled boyishly and entered without a problem.

"Good to see you awake! You scared me to death when you fainted in my arms."  
  
She rubbed her eye sheepishly, "Sorry?"  
  
Reno's smile widened and grabbed her hand. She blushed at the sudden contact.

"You know, maybe I can pull some strings and take you with me on the next mission."  
  
She blinked. "Aren't you the connection pilot for SOLDIERs?" Reno nodded his head furiously. "I guess we will see each other a lot, anyway." 

* * *

For the remaining time, she listened to Reno's stories about his missions, the turks and Shinra's youngest son.

"He's a pest sometimes but he can be likable. He has potential."  
  
Eloise tried not to laugh too loudly but Reno was making it impossible. He even impersonated his boss.

The fun ended when Sephiroth decided to pay her a visit. He had never heard Eloise have so much fun before; it sounded so happy and warm. He opened the door silently and walked in. Her smile cracked when she noticed him.

"Sephiroth,"

Reno glanced over his shoulder at the new visitor. He could feel the tension rising so he left; of course, not before he reminded Eloise to call him if she wanted to have fun. Reno's offer sounded worse than he intended but Eloise laughed it off.

"I see you feel better already."  
  
She nodded. "Where is everyone?"  
  
Sephiroth walked closer to her and checked her arm. The burning signs vanished.

"Angeal and Zack had to leave for an urgent mission. Genesis is in the simulation room, reading."

His eyes traveled to hers and stared into them. He could see the mako in her eyes even if she originally believed she had none. Her eyes were blue, exactly like Zack's but hers were giving off a mysterious and cold aura.

"I see you made a new friend," Sephiroth changed the subject swiftly.  
  
Eloise chuckled and looked down at her hands. "Yes. It seems turks aren't that bad."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. He was curious where she got such a rare optimism regarding everything but most of all, he wanted to know one tiny detail.

"What happened in Nibelheim? What triggered the attention on you?"  
  
She sighed. Everyone wanted to know the same thing.

"I guess people just don't like Shinra army men. That was all."  
  
"That's not all, is it?" Sephiroth could sense she was hiding something. 

She raised her eyes shyly to her mentor and bit her lip.

"I think someone tried to sneak into my room. They failed but I heard something crash and I saw a shadow. I don't know who it was. I'm sorry." 

Sephiroth's gaze softened when he heard her apology. She was blaming herself when it wasn't even her fault. He wasn't a master at showing his emotions but he tried to assure her that everything was going to be alright in the only way he could: he patted her head. Eloise felt like a puppy, waiting for her master to take her for a walk. 

* * *

Later that night, Eloise sneaked out of the hospital wing in only the hospital gown. The floor was cold and it made her feel like she was evading from an asylum.

Thankfully, the elevator moved quickly and she arrived at the lab in record time. Since she didn't have the chance to enter the lab the last time, she had to take advantage of that opportunity. She walked closer to the metallic door and leaned closer to the lock. It was advanced technology and she needed a code and a retina examination. Eloise sighed and leaned against the wall. Maybe it wasn't as easy as she originally thought.

"Are you trying to break in again?"  
  
She jumped in surprise when she heard his voice. Genesis smirked cockily and walked past her. He sent a message and the door opened.

She was shy. That laboratory was creepy and cold. There were many machines working silently and there were definitely people in tubs. She walked closer to one of them and tried to catch a glimpse of what was inside when the tub moved. Scared and freaked out, Eloise ran to Genesis. It was safer around him.

"Ah, Genesis,"  
  
Hollander looked exactly like she remembered. She moved closer to Genesis when his eyes trailed to her. The scientist smiled and that itself was freaking her out.  
  
"Eloise. I see you made it to SOLDIER."

"Should she thank you for that?" Genesis asked curtly.  
  
Hollander chuckled and approached a table with different solutions on it. There were papers scrawled over the whole table and tubs of different dimensions. It was very messy.

"She might." He answered, eyes searching for something.  
  
Eloise's eyes, "You made me your experiment?!"  
  
Hollander scowled.

"Not exactly. I helped you improve faster, didn't I? Not everyone has such an opportunity."

"You made me a monster!" Eloise screamed, leaving aside her shyness. She was dangerous because she wasn't able to control herself all the time. "I am a killer!"

"You are definitely not a killer. I injected mako energy into your body because I saw potential in it."

"What is that supposed to mean? I had 50% chances to die!"  
  
Hollander nodded. "But you didn't. You survived." He smiled out of nowhere and walked to her. "I injected pure mako energy into you. Not many are able to survive. Moreover, you had an allergic reaction to it and that is rarely seen."

"So what? Did you inject me with Jenova cells so that my body would be able to accept mako?"

"I need your help. That's why I helped you in the first place."  
  
That was to be expected. She knew he wouldn't have given her such power for nothing.  
  
"I will help you as long as you help me."

"Isn't that more of a deal than anything?" She mumbled, "What do you want from me?"

"I need you to help me with Project G. Your blood, I want it. You see, lately my experiment came to a halt. Not many people have Jenova cells in their bodies. Those who have it either die because their bodies can't accept it, either survive miraculously."

While Eloise was thinking about Hollander's deal, Genesis's vision darkened. Hollander was focused on getting something from the young puppy.

"It would benefit me if you could let me get a sample right now."  
  
Eloise's eyes widened when Hollander grabbed a syringe and a container off the table. She froze when she saw how long was the needle and intended to hide behind the redhead but Genesis stopped her.

"It's alright. If you don't want to, you don't have to give it to him." 

"If she doesn't give me a sample, I won't give her a sere to stabilize the mako energy."  
  
Eloise's eyes widened and looked up at the redhead, swallowing nervously.

"That's not what we discussed about, Hollander." 

The scientist laughed before looking at the SOLDIER with a sly smirk, "How are you feeling lately, Genesis?"  
  
The older SOLDIER glared at the scientist. "My body became weak."  
  
Hollander hummed and searched for something in his pockets. When he found it, he smiled wickedly: it was a small tub with bright yellow substance in it.

"This should help. But Genesis, I am afraid that with the pollution of Shinra going on, you will get more and more affected." The scientist added. "Of course, if Eloise here would give us a sample of her blood, I might find a way to stabilize your condition as well."  
  
Eloise frowned. "Are you blackmailing me?"  
  
Hollander scowled. "Think about it as a way to save Genesis. You wouldn't want him to die, would you?"  
  
For a moment, that terrible thought didn't sound bad. Genesis dying didn't seem to make a difference.

"What are you going to do with her blood?"  
  
Hollander raised an eyebrow and turned his back on them, walking towards a tub filed with blue substance. 

"I'm going to continue my experiment, of course. The Jenova Project," Genesis's eyes narrowed as he listened to Hollander continue. "Just because Project G had met troubles doesn't mean Jenova Project failed as well."  
  
Eloise's eyes widened and she took a few steps back. If what she read in that file was right, the principle subject for Jenova Project was very much alive.

"This meeting might have been a mistake." Genesis mumbled coldly before turning his back to the scientist.

After Genesis was called a failure, his whole behavior seemed to darken both visibly and emotionally. 

On the other side, Eloise felt empty. She was only another puppet for the scientist and was lucky enough to survive the first set of tests before gradually becoming an important part of his experiments.

Eloise didn't know where to go or who to talk to. There was only one person who knew about her and he didn't seem available for the moment. She didn't have enough courage to go to her mentor because he was probably going to ask her details; details that she didn't know yet. Angeal didn't seem to know about his real purpose in Shinra and Zack didn't know anything at all.

"Are you going to talk to me about what you feel? Or do you want to fight? Something?" She wasn't going to give up anytime soon, Genesis was aware of that. She was a little persuasive pup.

* * *

Without speaking another word, Eloise followed Genesis around. He took the elevator and went to his room first. He grabbed his rapier and took the elevator again. They ended up in the simulation room. It was different than the training room she had been in before. Firstly, it was larger and had a second level, where the whole machinery was. Genesis unlocked the room easily and turned on the computers. Once the simulation was activated, he jumped into the battle while Eloise remained upstairs, watching him fight with a behemoth. She sighed and leaned against the glass window.

It took Genesis almost three hours to calm down. He fought with six different creatures from the highest level, got scratched, pushed around, hit and overly beaten up. He had thrown fire from his hands only to get burnt later on but after he calmed down, mostly because he had no choice, he changed the simulation. At that point, Eloise walked downstairs and sat beside him.

"From the maniacal surrounding of a truly deranged man, you suddenly went to zen mode." He ignored her. "You need to talk about it." Eloise pressed on.

"There is nothing to talk about, newbie. Now, excuse me, I want to read in silence."

"You never read in silence, not that book. You need to talk to people, Genesis."  
  
He opened his book and hid his face behind it.

"I talk to Angeal and Sephiroth." The redhead mumbled.  
  
She scoffed. "No, you don't. Did you tell Angeal about your condition?" Silence. "Did you tell him that he has the same condition as you?" Silence again. "You don-"

"Eloise, my life doesn't concern you. You should go and think about your own life." The redhead snapped. She wasn't an adult, she was only a child and he said that but he was angry and she was pestering.

It didn't necessarily hurt her. She wasn't going to pout and leave that easily. Next to what she went through as an officer, Genesis's words meant nothing. 

Since he wasn't going to cooperate, she decided to take the matters in her own hands. The girl grabbed the book from his hands and read the first few lines.

"Act IV. My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left, the bow of the goddess" She raised an eyebrow and continued. "My soul, corrupted by vengeance. Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey. In my own salvation. And your eternal slumber. Legend shall speak. Of sacrifice at world's end. The wind sails over the water's surface. Quietly, but surely."

She placed the book on her lap and looked up at the sun. The simulation was beautiful: sunset in some village.

Genesis's eyes were constantly watching her. In some twisted way, he needed her; her blood more exactly. Her blood was going to stabilize or even neutralize his condition and he was growing weaker with each passing day.

"You know, when Hollander asked me for a blood sample, I got scared. When he told me I should give it to him because he gave me power, I felt disappointed in myself. But when he told me I have the chance to save you, I didn't need to think much. You're a narcissistic jerk who looks at other people from his pedestal. I wasn't going to accept his deal." She turned her head to him and added, "You don't deserve my help."

Genesis scoffed, "I don't need your blood." 

"I believe you do. I believe Hollander. When you work with humans, you never know if their bodies will react according to your theories. Your body reacted badly while mine reacted well. Are you jealous?"  
  
Her sentence didn't make much sense for Genesis because he had no reasons to be jealous of her.

"No. I'm not jealous of anything."  
  
She raised an eyebrow and leaned on her elbows. "What about Sephiroth?"  
  
Genesis's eyes shifted to the scenery. "I'm not jealous of my friend."

"I don't believe you. I don't believe it when you say you don't need my blood and I certainly don't believe it when you say you're not jealous."

"Noble," Genesis started out of nowhere, "You asked me what kind of childhood I had. I was the son of the mayor. Angeal is my childhood friend. I've always dreamed to become a hero and save the ones in need and I've been living with that dream until recently."

"Because you found out you have been experimented on?" Eloise asked, a bit taken aback, "You really believe you are a monster, don't you?" She took one look at his face before she asked, "Are you lonely, Genesis?"  
  
Genesis threw her a look that could have been a mix of melancholy and annoyance before he turned off the simulation. He left without another word.

Left alone in the room, Eloise hummed to herself and nodded, "Definitely lonely."  
  
The room didn't look comfortable and sunny anymore. It was cold and her butt was freezing; she completely forgot she was still dressed in the hospital gown.

While she was getting up, Eloise noticed the pink book Genesis used to carry around. He forgot it there so she took it for him.


	11. 11

On her way back to the hospital wing, Eloise flicked through the pink book. Loveless held the secrets of Genesis and if she wanted to get to know him, she had to search the answers in that book.

That was why for the rest of the night, Eloise read Loveless. She was mind blown by the subject; the story itself was about three friends who went on a journey. She didn't have to be very smart to realize who the three friends were.

A few hours later, Eloise woke up with the sun shining brightly on her face. She groaned and tried to block the light with her hand while getting up. Her condition improved quickly and she was ready to leave after her routine control.

On the way back to her room, she checked her pockets for the Loveless book; it was safely tuck in there. Once inside her room, she got ready for another day of training. It was still early and she could get there in time for the second session. She was fully healed and didn't need a reason for her mates to make fun of her abilities.

Thankfully, the day progressed nicely. Unfortunately, they lost a member of the team and two were still in the hospital; it left a bittersweet taste in her mouth.

After the training finished, she went straight to her room. She knew that her wounds and burns disappeared out of nowhere but she didn't know how big wete the consequences for using her energy.

"You shouldn't move too much."  
  
Eloise flinched and turned her head quickly in order to see the intruder. She realized she didn't even close the door after she entered.

"Angeal, I didn't know you came back."  
  
He nodded his head as he entered her room. She was trying to push the covers and pillows in order but it looked like she had a few problems since her body was reacting by its own. She could feel her legs trembling but she didn't show it.

Angeal's eyes traveled around her room. Truthfully, it didn't look like someone was living in there: she didn't have many stuff on the shelves and she rarely used the kitchen. The unmade bed was the only sign that someone was living in that room.

"Zack was worried. He was ready to take a few days off just to stay by your side."

"But he didn't, thankfully. I'm not a child. I can take care of myself." She grumbled.  
  
Angeal took a few moments to observe the young SOLDIER. There was something new about her; she looked and behaved the same but something was off.

"Have you talked to Genesis?"  
  
Her eyes widened and she stopped making her bed.

From the corner of his eye, Angeal saw her trying to hide something in between the pillows. He shook his head bemusedly but didn't add anything else.

"Actually, he's been very moody lately. I wonder if it isn't time for him to get a mission. He has a lot of free time." Eloise added in a hurry.  
  
Angeal raised an eyebrow. "Genesis had a mission two days ago. He ignored it and passed it to me."  
  
Eloise titled her head to the side and blinked confusedly.

"So the mission you and Zack went on was actually for Genesis?" She asked, Angeal nodding. "Then why did he pass the opportunity?"  
  
Angeal sighed and got up. He smiled softly and patted her shoulder.

"You should give him more credit. He does take care of you, in his own way. He gets worried, too. You quirked his interest, remember?" 

She stared for a few moments as Angeal left, resembling a lost puppy. That, until she realized what he meant.

"I am NOT his toy!" She whined loudly.

Angeal was close to the elevator when he heard her response. He couldn't help but laugh soflty.

As she was terribly confused and didn't feel like reading Loveless again, she decided to do some personal research. Eloisr hadn't had the chance to see the upper part of the Shinra Building therefore, that night, she took the elevator to the top. She almost ran into Sephiroth but thankfully, he didn't see her; or probably chose to ignore her.

She succeeded to get on the roof without anything but her ID. From up there, Midgar looked peaceful. She knew that wasn't the case, but it was a nice change.  
  
The young SOLDIER often found herself thinking about the pollution and about AVALANCHE. They weren't bad people, they were fighting for what they believed was right but she wasn't going to give up on her dream. Be it good or bad, Shinra gave her one chance to the life she was seeking.

"Maybe I'm selfish, but I'm not going to turn my back on Shinra. I am going to become a hero, one way or another." Eloise promised herself, looking at the city below.  
  
She took a deep breath in and closed her eyes. She exhaled slowly and opened her eyes after a few seconds. Eloise wasn't aware but her eyes were already taking a different glint, one that looked extremely similar to her mentor's.

* * *

On the way back to her room, Eloise felt her legs tremble again. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore it but with every step she took, her body was getting weaker. The girl leaned against the wall and started to breath heavily. There was something wrong with her heart; i was beating very fast and she felt like there was a pressure on her chest.

Her vision was getting blurry and she fell on her knees. She wasn't sure what happened after that but she felt a pair of arms wrap around her.  
  
Eloise didn't faint but she wasn't conscious either.

"What's happening to me?"

From what she experienced before, Genesis was usually the one to find her in such situations.

"I don't know. I'm getting you to the hospital wing."  
  
She was surprised to hear Sephiroth's voice. She knew that in the hospital, she was only going to worry everyone and have no results. There was only one place she could go to.

"No. The lab. Take me to Hollander."  
  
Sephiroth watched her struggle to get back on her feet but she stumbled and almost fell. He tightened his grip on her body and took her into his arms. She could feel the energy draining her and didn't know how much longer she could resist for.

* * *

In the end, Sephiroth took Eloise to the laboratory.

Hollander instructed Sephiroth to place her in a tub filled it with a substance of some sort before pressing a few buttons.

"What's wrong with her?"  
  
Sephiroth's cold gaze softened slightly when he glanced at Eloise. She looked dead.

"You don't need to worry. She is suffering from exhaustion. She started the training too early and now she suffers the consequences." Hollander lied through his teeth.  
  
Sephiroth wasn't supposed to find out about Eloise. If he were to realize what she was he was going to search deeper and they weren't going to risk Sephiroth finding out about his role.

A few hours later, Sephiroth was pacing in the hall, a bit tired and a bit angry. Hollander shooed him away and told him to get busy, like Eloise was nothing but just another officer. Well, Eloise was his pupil and he didn't even think about leaving.

* * *

Early in the morning, Genesis decided to pay Eloise a visit. He knocked a few times but no one responded. The redhead glared at the door and left shortly.

"It's not like I care what she thinks about..."

But he did care. That was why he went to her trainer and asked him if he had seen her. He didn't. No one did. Genesis frowned and walked towards the lab. There was a slight chance for her to be there but he hoped she won't. 

"Sephiroth..." He didn't expect to see the older SOLDIER there. "What are you doing here?"

The two SOLDIERs inspected each other for a few seconds: Genesis looked tired and worried and Sephiroth wasn't far from the same characterization. He was worried and he had to prepare a few third classes for an intervention.

"I found Eloise in a poor state last night. She looked like life has been drained out of her body."  
  
Genesis's eyes narrowed and walked quickly into the lab, leaving a clueless Sephiroth alone in the hall. The silver haired SOLDIER sighed and rubbed his forehead; the stress was slowly catching up to him. Being seen as perfect had its own consequences.

In the lab, Genesis found Hollander in front of a large tub filled with blue substance. His eyes widened when he got a sight of what was inside.  
  
Hollander sighed and glanced to the redhead.

"She didn't even use the power at its full potential. She got used to it running through her body but I don't know what will happen when she will explode." The scientist concluded.  
  
Genesis glanced at the scientist from the corner of his eye.

"Why are you so sure that she will explode?"

"She will. She needs an anchor. Someone she can trust and can connect her to happy memories. If she gets in danger or she gets depressed, then she's as good as dead." Hollander explained.  
  
Genesis's eyes traveled back to the young soldier. Sephiroth was right; she looked lifeless.

* * *

Eloise woke up a few hours later. Genesis helped her on her feet and watched her carefully.

"Hollander took a sample of your blood." He told her.  
  
Her eyes widened and she shuddered. She hated needles; mostly the big ones.

"Sephiroth knows what happened?"   
  
Genesis sighed and helped her regain balance since she was still dizzy.

"Hollander made up an excuse for you. You're supposed to be exhausted."  
  
Eloise chuckled. "Did he believe that?" 

"You're not allowed to use the energy for the time being. You should let your body calm down." He avoided responding to her question and changed the subject.  
  
She rolled her eyes and pushed him slightly.

"I have training and-"

"You have to let your body calm down. If not, there are chances you'll lose control and die. You can continue training, but take it easy."  
  
In Eloise's point of view, Genesis was behaving out of character. His voice was sweet and his whole sentence didn't make sense to her. Eloise remembered what Angeal told her about the redhead and couldn't help but smile softly. He did care for his toy in a twisted way.

The girl was curious how careful Genesis could become. She knew she was walking on dangerous waters and she was probably crossing the line a little, but she wanted to know.

"Training is never easy with Sephiroth." She said, curious what he was going to respond.

"Too bad." 

The mischievous glint in her eyes vanished. Eloise didn't expect anything nice from Genesis but he didn't give her the response she wanted. On the other side, Genesis' lips curved slightly. It was barely noticeable, but it was definitely a good sign.

* * *


	12. 12

"I know it is very quick, but I have a mission for you, Eloise."

After Genesis left, Eloise had gotten a call from Lazard. He sounded very enthusiastic for some reason. There were big chances he had a few secret plans for her if he figured she hid the file containing the Jenova Project.

Or, there were slim chances for it to be a normal mission. She didn't know and didn't want to know.

"It's simple, really. After what happened to your team the last time, I decided to pair you up with a higher ranked SOLDIER." He started as he pushed a few buttons, the screen in his office rolling down. 

"You're giving _me_ a mission? _Only me_?" Eloise asked, underlining what was strange to her. 

"And a higher ranked SOLDIER." He repeated, a bright smile on his face.

She was ready to question her boss more, but the door opened and Lazard's attention shifted.

"Angeal! I am very pleased you accepted this mission!"  
  
It might have been childish, but Eloise sighed in relief.  When she heard the words high ranked SOLIDER she only thought about what was worse and forgot about Angeal. It was such a relief.

Angeal stopped right beside her and gave her a soft smile. It looked completely different from Genesis' or Sephiroth's. Those two were so uptight all the time, hiding their emotions behind cold eyes. Angeal wasn't like that. He was warm and friendly.

"Like I said, the mission is simple. You have to recover a package from Sector 8. I know it's on the other side of Midgar, that's why I chose you two. Shinra needs this package. I'm counting on you two." Lazard finished, his eyes looking specifically at Eloise.  
  
Angeal nodded and grabbed the files from Lazard. He saluted his boss and walked out. Eloise was ready to exit as well, but Lazard stopped her. 

"What is it, sir?" She asked expectantly.  
  
He smirked, knowing exactly how her mission was going to degenerate.

"I want that package as quick as possible. I don't care what happens. Take it at any cost."  
  
Eloise nodded and walked into the hall with no commentaries left.

* * *

"Isn't this exciting, Eloise?"  
  
Like always, Zack was tagging around his mentor. When he heard Angeal and Eloise were going on a mission together, his excitement only grew.

"Can you stop following me? Go follow Angeal, or something..."  
  
He shook his head and placed his hands into his pockets. As they were walking side by side, their familiar black hair, blue eyes and behavior were so alike. It was unbelievable how much they looked alike but at the same time, they didn't. 

"You are my beloved sister whom I haven't seen in a long time. You became a SOLDIER and we live in the same building. I want us to become closer, not grow further apart."  
  
His sincerity and emotion were overwhelming. Eloise actually felt sorry for always forgetting about her older brother. It seemed she was spending more time with people she just met instead of spending bonding time with her brother.

"I promise we will get family time, Zack. After this mission, we'll spend time together." She smiled widely and hugged him from the side. 

In the end, Zack followed Eloise to her room and even in the bathroom. She pushed him outside laughing but he was confused. It never seemed to be a problem when they were children, but they were older now. She needed her space and she made it very clear that she was a growing woman. Zack pouted after she explained her point and groggily walked towards her bed.

She was ready in a matter of minutes before she grabbed her sword and jacket and met Angeal in the lounge.

"Good luck. Try not to fall asleep!"  
  
Eloise narrowed her eyes in confusion. What did Zack mean by that?

Since the mission was in Midgar, the helicopter wasn't needed so Reno's chance to meet Eloise was slim.

On the other side, the silence between her and Angeal was serene. He was a man of few words and she loved that. It was a good break from her complicated life; there was nothing to be discussed about scientific projects or fussy human beings.

"Do you know what we must retrieve?" She asked the older man.  
  
Angeal glanced at the young SOLDIER and noticed just how different she was in missions compared to Zack. As far as he was concerned, he liked her best. She wasn't trying to animate the atmosphere but she wasn't awkward either.

"It is a crystal. There are rumors about a new way to heal. Shinra needs the crystal in order to experiment." 

"Do you know why we were teamed up?"  
  
Angeal's lips curved into a teasing smirk.

"Are you disappointed?"

"No! No! Really. I just never got the chance to talk to you properly. It's always-" Eloise stopped before saying anything that could put her in an awkward position.    
   
Angeal raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. His intense blue eyes were making her feel nervous. Since she wasn't speaking anymore, Angeal walked closer to her and ruffled her hair.

"I know what you mean. But, Eloise, we don't have to talk much in order to understand our intentions."

"It's overwhelming. I found so many new things about me in these few weeks. Too many..." She mumbled, frowning. Just the quick remind of what she had gone through in the last few days was making her blood boil. 

"Relax. Stop worrying about anything but this mission."  
  
Eloise sighed and rubbed her hands together, getting very anxious.

"Do you know what happened in my last mission?" The girl asked, feeling regret and disappointment. "It was a trap. I tried to take the role of the leader but it didn't go well."

"So I have heard..." His monotone voice didn't ease her worries. "You worried your mentor. It was the first time in years that I had the pleasure to see Sephiroth and Genesis worried for the same reason." He added, smirking bemusedly.

"Sephiroth seems like a busy man. He must have a lot of work to do."  
  
Angeal knew where she was leading to. She was thinking of herself as unworthy and burdensome for her mentor.

"He does but he likes to train in his spare time. He also likes to train you." Angeal assured her softly.

Sephiroth was a great inspiration. He was a true hero, from every aspect, perfect and even though she knew how unstable perfection was, she couldn't care less. For Eloise, Sephiroth was just so precious.

* * *

The two walked in silence for the rest of the way. Sector 8 was small but it was known as a dangerous zone. No one knew what kinds of monsters were lurking in the dark and just what kind of people were moving in the shadows.   
  
Unfortunately, it was already dark when they got there. The feeling of paranoia came back and Eloise felt entrapped. Angeal wasn't content with their situation either and would look every so often over his shoulder, just in case.

"Are you alright?" Angeal asked when he noticed how tight she was gripping her sword.

It was silent but it didn't seem right, like before. It was the silence before the storm. Both SOLDIERs could feel the tension rising in the air. They were turning a corner when something touched Eloise's ankle. She brushed it off as some garbage or something but a few minutes later she felt it again. the girl swallowed nervously and tried not to look down at her legs. It felt like a ghost was playing mind tricks on her.

"Angeal, I think something is terribly wrong in this sec-"  
  
When she raised her head, she found no Angeal. Instead, heavy fog appeared out of nowhere, so thick that she could hardly see beyond it.  What if there were real ghosts? How was she going to fight that?

Eloise froze when she heard a loud growl coming from behind her. She turned, very slowly, and faced a pair of red eyes.  Her reflexes helped greatly when the creature launched at her, forcing her to block its ferocious fangs with her sword. From what she could see, it looked like a big creature with fangs that were bigger than his mouth and eyes poking out of their sockets. The creature jumped back and vanished right before her eyes before she felt a cold hand touch her shoulder.

"Eloise, are you alright?"  
  
She spun around only to face Angeal's worried face. The fog cleared up and she found herself back on the street.

"What did just happen?" She mumbled, looking around in confusion.

"What do you mean? Have you been attacked?"

After the fog cleared up completely, they hurried to the nearest bar. It looked horrible and torn apart but it was in use. After such an experience, Eloise needed alcohol. She drank three beers until she calmed down. Angeal was surprised.

"Are you even allowed to drink?"  
  
He wasn't sure what to do since she drank so fast and so many. He didn't need her drunk. They had a mission.

"I am fine. I'm not as young as you think."  
  
Angeal grew curious. Exactly how old she was? He knew she was a few years younger than Zack but that depended. Was she 18? Or maybe 20? He wasn't sure.

"What happened back there? One minute you were behind me and in the next, you were gone."  
  
"You didn't see the fog?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "It just came out of thin air. And that creature looked rabid, whatever it was. Its eyes were glowing red. It was scary." She tried to give him details but she didn't have the time to look at it closely. "I am not crazy." Eloise added, just in case.

"I believe you."  
  
She doubted that. He didn't see what she saw.

* * *

They still had to get the crystal from the intermediate person and hurry back to Shinra. Surprisingly, nothing really happened afterwards and unlike what Eloise expected, the person was already there when they arrived. Angeal took the box and Eloise followed him closely, not once looking behind. They got back to Shinra suspiciously fast.

Lazard was excited to see the two. He grabbed the box from Angeal and opened it, uncovering the crystal. Eloise's eyes widened when she saw the gem: the crystal was exactly the same color as the creature's eyes. It was intense and she felt drawn to it. When she leaned a little bit closer she heard that dangerous growl again.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lazard asked, proud.  
  
Eloise didn't respond, only stared ahead blankly. Angeal was watching from behind; he had many questions but he was sure Eloise will act nonchalantly and prefer to keep it to herself.

* * *

After they have been enthusiastically shooed out of Lazard's office, Eloise walked to the elevator in a trance. She was sure that no one was going to believe her but she knew what she felt. That creature felt very real.

She jumped when someone touched her and almost hit the pretty face of Genesis.

"Have you felt the need to hit me for long?" He asked in that certain smart ass manner of his.  
  
She scoffed and turned her back on him.

"I don't feel like seeing your face today."  
  
The redhead chuckled and took his rightful seat beside her.

The elevator arrived shortly after Genesis made his appearance. They entered in silence and he hit the button for her floor.

"Did something happen in this mission, as well?" He asked with a cocky smirk.  
  
She bit her lip, trying to keep silent. Genesis wasn't going to accept that as an answer.  
  
"I take-"

"It was fine. Nothing happened. It went well." Eloise responded coldly.

Genesis watched bewildered as the young girl walked out of the elevator once the doors opened. She responded quickly and walked away even faster.

Once inside her room, Eloise jumped on the bed and covered her face with the pillow. She closed her eyes and hoped for a dreamless sleep.

_Red eyes._

_Everything she could see in the dark was that pair of intense red eyes. She tried to move but her arms and legs were restrained; she was chained to a wall._

_That familiar growl resonated through the void. Eloise didn't feel scared but she was anxious. The creature appeared in front of her, moving closer slowly, like it was enjoying every second of it. Suddenly, someone forced her head to the side and she couldn't have a clear view of the wolf._

" _Take care what eyes you trust, Eloise."_

_She tried desperately to turn her head but the force keeping her there was too strong. From the corner of her eye, she only saw the shadow of a wolf morphing into a person. Her eyes widened. The anonymous person turned her head back to him and she gasped._

"Eloise, wake up!"

She woke up with a jolt, scaring the hell out of Zack and almost hitting him in the face.  She was gasping and her hands were tingling. As she calmed down and realized it was nothing but a dream, her eyes met the beautiful pair of blue eyes watching her from the door. Leaning against the frame was Genesis and for a moment, Eloise had the feeling she knew what that dream was about.


	13. 13

"Are you better now?"

Zack didn't have any new missions for the rest of the week. Unfortunately, he decided to stick around his sister. Eloise didn't like the attention and Zack was a magnet for it. He was well known around the Shinra Building as the –optimistic puppy mentored by Angeal- courageous young man who could become a SOLDIER through a lot of perseverance and hard work.

"You don't have to guard me, Zack. I'm fine."   
The older brother didn't listen to his sister. She was always busy with training and missions, moreover she had one mission every two days, just because Lazard found it entertaining. She was supposed to improve quickly and become a 2nd class in no time. Zack was sure that she was going to make it; she was going to become a hero.

"You promised me bonding time. Let's go do something." The boy whined, his eyes glistening.   
That wasn't going to end well.

* * *

In the end, Zack dragged Eloise in Midgar. 

"A bar. You took me to a bar where men get drunk and become insatiable beasts."   
Zack nodded happily before pushing her closer to the barstool and asking for two beers.

"Who knows? Maybe you'll even find a boyfriend~" He moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively.   
Eloise bit her lip, trying hardly to contain a rude response.

"What are you planning, Zack?"   
His smile dropped a little, changing into a boyish grin. He did plan something but didn't want to ruin the surprise.

After her third beer, and after a few men who tried to hit on her, Eloise decided she was never going to enter that bar ever again. It was uncomfortable. Zack was still drinking and didn't look drunk at all. The Fair siblings were resistant drinkers.

At some point, Zack's smile appeared again and his attention focused on the entrance. She rolled her eyes, thinking that Zack invited a few friends for a drink as well.

"Is there a reason why more people are going to come?"   
Zack patted her head and chuckled.

"You will definitely like these guys," He whispered in her ear.   
The noise was getting louder and her head was pounding. She didn't have unlimited sources of patience. Training with Sephiroth was getting harder and his blows were painful. She had new wounds every day. On the other side, her 3rd class training was going smoothly.

The guys whom Zack invited to their short free time were people she had seen before. Her grimace shifted quickly into a grin.

"Reno!" She was happy to see the redhead. He was the only person she could genuinely call a friend.   
His eyes widened when he saw her and hurried to their side.

"Eloise! What a coincidence!" Reno emphaiszedthe last word, both turning to Zack. "Did ya miss me?" He asked in a softer tone.  
"I did, as a matter of fact. It's fun when you are around."  
Reno's smirk evolved into a wide smile. His head perked up to Zack who was talking to the other guy. He looked like a high ranked man; maybe politician.

"Did you hear that, Tseng? It's _fun_ when I'm around!"   
The older man rolled his eyes. His eyebrows were furrowed and he didn't seem to be pleased about anything.

"See? They are fun, sis!" Zack was beaming. He was happy to see his sister smiling. "You already met Reno and I heard you got close. This is a good friend of mine, Tseng. He's also a turk."   
Her eyes traveled to the man in a black suit. He looked more like a noble than a lackey.

"So while trying to set me up with Reno, you called a friend to catch up?"   
Zack nodded and ordered another round of beers. Eloise sighed. She wasn't going to get any sleep that night.

* * *

Staying in the company of Reno was definitely more pleasant than a lonely room. He was rambling about random subjects and telling stories. He was known as a loyal and courageous fighter amongst the turks yet he was a pest. She could imagine a wild red head jumping around, annoying his workmates.

On the other side, Zack kept telling stories about their childhood in Gongaga. He was the older brother so he always protected his sister. Until she decided to fight back, of course. Eloise was known as a spontaneous child and she never ceased to amaze their family or the village. They knew she was going to follow her brother and enter SOLDIER but they never expected her to get so high so quickly. She knew the answer to that enigma. Her smile dropped when Zack started to praise her fighting skills.

Reno's eyes were always on her. There was something about her that intrigued him. She was a good fighter, he knew that, but she didn't trust herself at all. He was wondering why she was so self conscious. From Zack's stories, he figured she was a happy girl with a lot of pride and courage but Eloise started to fidget and move uncomfortably in her seat when he mentioned her fighting skills. 

"Do you want to ditch these guys?" He leaned in and whispered.   
She chuckled and nodded.

* * *

With a few smooth words, Reno and Eloise left the bar early in the morning. 

"So, what happened in Nibelheim? I didn't have the chance to ask you," He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She titled her head to the side and stared at him. "I got your call and came as fast as I could. When we got to the village we searched for you but there was nothing suspicious"

"We were on the outskirts. It was a trap. People don't like us."   
He scoffed, "Believe me, I know. Turks are seen even worse than SOLDIERs but that's life." He raised his hands and placed them around his head. "You learn to live with their hatred."

"They hate because Shinra never tells them anything and only acts on his own accord. But SOLDIERs come from common families and would never harm someone innocent."   
She was succumbed into her ideas. Reno was amazed by her positive point of view. She wasn't seeing the world as a SOLDIER yet. 

"Heroes help people who need them. But, as you have experienced yourself, people don't need them. They can fight on their own and sometimes, they overreact. That's when the turks have to interfere." Reno explained.

"That's why there is AVALANCHE?"

"I guess. Everyone has an opinion. Their contradict with Shinra's."

"And what is your opinion?" She asked, taking the redhead by surprise.  
Reno stopped and turned to face her fully. He chuckled and grabbed her arm before continuing to walk, his hand grasping her and question unanswered.

* * *

Reno ended up getting Eloise home. The turks were living in Shinra's central building from Sector 5 while the SOLDIERs were in a different sector. As if they had been on an actual date, he acted like a gentleman. That itself had been prized with a kiss on the cheek. Reno made a big deal out of her action but it only amused her more. It was nice to talk and be in the vicinity of someone so carefree.

While she was riding the elevator, she couldn't deny the happiness she felt all throughout her body. Zack's bonding time did her mental state good.

Her smile was so powerful that when the elevator doors opened and Sephiroth entered, it didn't waver. Seeing Eloise in a happy and joyful mood was rare. He had heard it once when she was in the hospital wing. Next to her brother, she was a sulking kind of puppy. She was scared to show her emotions or even act in concordance.

"It's morning," Sephiroth started, "You have training today. Just because you went out –for the first time-doesn't mean you can skip it." Sephiroth raised an eyebrow bemusedly. "I won't go easy on you, Eloise."   
She licked her lips and tried to stop her smile from widening.

"I got it, chief." 

Sephiroth chuckled and ruffled her hair.

That night, she could finally rest. She dreamt about her life as a child, granted to Zack's repetitive stories. Of course, she only got the chance to sleep for three hours because she had training at 8 o'clock sharp. The whole training session went like a blur. They had to make teams of three and fight against each other. It felt more like basic training than anything. The hard part was later.

That day was joyful. Her mates got out of hospital and were ready for work. She visited them and apologized a few times. The boys knew very well that it wasn't her fault and tried to remind her that. Eloise Fair was a pack of happiness and hearts the whole morning and everybody could see that.

"So, I guess your date went well?" Zack was a sneaky little bastard. But Eloise wasn't able to sustain her enthusiasm. She nodded.

"It was bonding time." Zack started to laugh and pushed her playfully. She wasn't focused and almost fell against the wall. She wasn't going to admit that. For her, it wasn't even close to a date. It was free time that she invested in being around enjoyable people; like Reno.

"I knew you two would get along well. His reputation is kind of troublesome but he's not a bad guy."   
After his words registered into her head, Eloise scoffed.

"And what kind of reputation do I have if I got along so well with the troublesome guy?"  
Zack rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged.

"Well, let's admit. You aren't the most social and sweet girl around. Having Sephiroth as your mentor doesn't make it very easy either." Zack explained yet when he saw her face drop at his comment, he decided to soften it up,"I still love you unconditionally. We're family."

"And Reno?" She asked, raising an eyebrow expectantly.  
"Let's not get carried away. It was only your first date." Zack added quickly, amusing her.

 


	14. 14

When Eloise entered the simulation room for her training with her mentor, her mood dropped immediately. Her eyes narrowed as she continued to walk warily closer to him.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned him coldly.  
  
Genesis didn't have enough time to respond because someone else did for him.

"You improve at a great speed, Eloise. Today, I want you to fight Genesis." Sephiroth explained, just as coldly.  
  
Her head snapped towards the grey haired man and she actually sneered. Eloise could hardly register anymire that the one she was sneering at was none other than Sephiroth. 

"You want me to fight against Genesis?! But he is a 1st class SOLDIER! Even if he doesn't look like a powerful person, he must be." She said, extremely calm compared to how annoyed she was.  
  
Genesis glared at her and scoffed. He did look like a powerful SOLDIER and he was one. Eloise was stupid to underestimate him. Sephiroth's eyes glanced between the two, greatly amused.

"You should be honored to fight me, ungrateful little girl." Genesis snapped.

"What do you know? Weren't you the one questioning my fighting abilities?"  
  
Genesis scowled.

"Exactly. It's time for you, Eloise, to show your true potential to Genesis."  
  
Sephiroth's words were only a nudge. He knew how anxious and frustrated she was around Genesis. That could become a good test to see how well she could control herself.

In the end, everyone accepted. She was growing anxious with every glance at Genesis but his expressionless face was annoying. Sephiroth walked upstairs, into the control room and watched bemusedly as the two culprits were seizing each other.

Suddenly, the simulation room changed into Sector 8.  
  
Eloise's eyes widened for a second. Not even the memories of the night with Zack could make Sector 8 look less scary.

"Is there something wrong, Eloise?" She tried to ignore Genesis's taunting but he continued, "Did you get scared already?"  
  
He knew how to push her buttons. She drew her sword out and faced him. 

As they both knew, Genesis attacked first. He swayed his sword to the side and tried to intimidate her but it didn't work. She blocked his sword and kicked him. The force she was using wasn't impressive, it was suspiciously normal. Genesis chuckled smugly before he leaned in.

"Is that all you can do?" He whispered with a certain glint in his eyes that made her hands tingle.  
  
Eloise glared at him and pushed him away. Her eyes hardened and her grip on the sword tightened. She launched two attacks at the same time: she swayed her sword to his side while she ducked. The brubette wanted to kick him in the ribs but he saw that coming and kicked her in the chin. It hurt. He wasn't playing anymore.

Eloise rubbed her chin and winced. It really hurt. She closed her eyes and concentrated, especially since she didn't want to use the blue energy. Genesis knew her secret therefore she had to use her own power, the one within, in order to gain his respect.  
  
Eloise opened her eyes and waited. Genesis smirked cockily and traced his hand over the rapier, making it glow. She remembered his fighting style from before and decided she should be careful. He was more of a crazy guy in the battle.

Genesis formed fireballs into his hand and threw them at her. It was enough to distract her and give him time to sneak behind her and try to slash her side. It wasn't that easy. She saw that coming and blocked it.  
  
Their fighting styles weren't that different; they were both trying to sneak on each other or try to kick while using diversions.

Sephiroth was impressed by Eloise's stamina. She definitely improved on that part but he wanted to see something different. He pushed a few buttons and leaned back.

As Genesis was blocking one of her attacks, she heard something behind her. Eloise ignored it and threw Genesis into the wall but he regained his balance quickly and threw another fireball at her. While she was busy avoiding them, Genesis had time to hit her.

The light coming from the fireballs was very bright and reminded her of fireworks. She swayed back and caught his blade before jumping on one leg and kicking him in the chin. Even though he got hit, he had time to grab her leg and throw her to the side. Eloise landed on her feet, against the wall. She jumped as if she was on a trampoline, and hit Genesis hard. While she was trying to regain her breathe, she heard a familiar growl. She glanced over her shoulder and froze.

The adrenaline was rushing through her veins, making her body immune to pain. Genesis saw her body relax for a second and took it as an opportunity. He was going to have the last blow. The redhead ran to her, his sword ready to slash her side, as he wanted from the beginning only that, when he got close enough, something about her felt wrong. There was a faint blue glow around her body.

As if she was on auto pilot, Eloise blocked the attack with her sword. Genesis was taken aback by her eyes. That never happened before and he didn't know how to react. It was only for a few seconds, but it was enough for Eloise to grab his face and throw him hard into the wall. The force she used was powerful; too powerful for a girl her weight. Besides, her hand was tingling. She used the energy and electrocuted him, making him spasm uncontrollably.

She blinked after a few minutes and realized that everything was false. There were no red eyes and no growling noises. Eloise was in the simulation room, training. Her vision came back and she fell on her bottom.

* * *

A few hours later and Genesis was taken care of into Hollander's laboratory. Eloise pestered Sephiroth to listen to her and take him there instead of the hospital. It was weird because she told him that before, when she was in a very bad condition.

"I'm sorry but you can't enter, Sephiroth. You can't help him now. He has to rest." Hollander's words were carefully chosen.  
  
Eloise didn't want to seem suspicious so she didn't enter either.

"I'm sorry. I hit him too hard." She apologized but didn't sound genuinely sorry.  
  
Sephiroth glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He saw what happened and she didn't look like she was conscious of what she was doing.

"It was a good fight. But you don't take your opponent seriously enough, Eloise. You were fighting like an officer in the beginning." He started, his intense gaze very intimidating.  
  
Sephiroth sighed and leaned back. He had a mission later that night and had to prepare for a long flight towards Wutai.  
  
"You shouldn't be scared to use the energy. You should be able to control it by now." He added, knowing she was more concerned about that than Genesis.  
  
But for Eloise it was nothing but scolding. She couldn't look him in the eye without feeling guilty. He was training her hard, especially with the blue energy and weapon combat, but she was still not up to his level, or Zack's for that matter.

After Sephiroth left, Eloise remained in front of the metallic double doors all alone. It was silent and quite creepy on that level; there was a constant murmur coming from the lab. She was curious how Genesis was feeling but was equally worried for herself. The brunette saw those red eyes while she was fighting. How did that happen, anyway? It must have been a simulation but if that was true, Sephiroth did it, right? She narrowed her eyes at the wall and scoffed.

"Mentor my ass. He's trying to kill someone with my hands." She mumbled, playing with her shirt.  

"Have you considered my proposition, Eloise?"  
  
The sudden yet familiar voice startled her. Eloise turned quickly towards the metalic doors only to face the short scientist.  
  
 "Come in." He ordered her.

She followed Hollander towards a hospital bed, the only one in the laboratory. There was something dropping from Genesis' clothes that looked like water. Something was different about him; maybe because he was unconscious and he wasn't able to talk, but he looked slightly different.

"He is disintegrating, Eloise. Your blood can help stabilize it." Hollander started, his voice really monotone for someone who was supposed to raise some sympathy in her.

"But it won't stop, right? The process will only be interrupted for a few days before starting again."  
  
Hollander nodded. That assumption was right.

"You electrocuted him with a low doze. He will wake up in a few hours but he does need your blood. If you don't want to do it for Genesis, do it for Angeal."   
  
Hearing Angeal's name, her heart cringed. Zack was very fond of his mentor and it would break his heart to see such a proud and honorable man break piece by piece.

"If I can help them, who can help me?" Eloise asked, turning her head towards Hollander.

"That would be me."  
  
She raised an eyebrow and glanced at the new acquaintance. The 3rd class SOLDIER had seen him before but never talked to him.  
  
"I'm doctor Hojo and Eloise, you are not needed for Project G. I assume you know everything about it already?" He asked knowing she knew everything about it, "Then don't waste your time thinking about it anymore. As long as you can control the pure energy, you won't be in any danger". Hojo finished with a smile.  
  
Scientist Hojo was an older man, very crappy looking. His face made him look like he was scowling at everything. What Eloise was sure of was that he was most definitely not a trustworthy ally.


	15. 15

When Genesis woke up, he got perplexed by his surroundings. He got up groggily and stretched; his back still hurt and his face felt tingly. The redhead rubbed his chin, trying to calm down his facial muscles. As he was getting acquainted to the room, he felt something hard under the blanket. He lifted it up and found a familiar book placed securely on the right side of the bed. Surprisingly, there were a lot of bookmarks and some passages were outlined. Genesis was impressed.

"So you found it, huh?"  
  
Genesis didn't take his eyes off the book. He could feel her gaze but didn't feel like seeing her face. For the first time, he felt like someone was actually trying to get to know him. It was only a book that she read thoughtfully but it meant a lot for him.

"I wondered where I left it..." He trailed.

Eloise sighed. It was her fault that Genesis was in that poor state. She hit him badly and electrocuted him moreover, she wasn't even conscious when she did it. The brunette pulled a chair in front of the drawer, sat down and stared at the redhead. He looked quite innocent for someone with such a bad temper. 

"I'm sorry."  
  
It was the first time she ever apologized to him and it sounded weird for both of them.  
  
"I lost control for a minute and you ended up unconscious. I'm really sorry." Eloise continued.  
  
Genesis raised an eyebrow and moved on the edge of the bed so they were facing each other. One had a sorrowful expression while the other one was just sleepy.

"You've been craving for a long time to beat me up, haven't you?" The redhead asked her, slightly bemused.  
  
She bit the inside of her cheek and looked at him innocently.

"Maybe, but not with these consequences." 

Genesis stared at her for a few more minutes before he got on his feet and grabbed his jacket. The rapier was leaning against the wall next to her sword. Now that he had the chance, he took a closer look at her sword- it looked like something Sephiroth would use. It was a present from her mentor, he knew that, but it probably meant more than just a sword. 

Eloise remained seated on the chair, watching him closely. He was soft one minute and became fussy in the next, just like a child.

On the other hand, Genesis didn't go to his room nor somewhere to relax. He could still remember her face in the moment she electrocuted him; he could swear her pupils dilated and changed colors. Her facial expression was blank and she looked very pale. It was a big change for two or three minutes.

The SOLDIER went back into the simulation room and walked upstairs to the control station. He was surprised to meet his two friends already there, watching the footage from his and Eloise's battle. Angeal was the first to notice the redhead.

"I thought you had to rest."  
  
Genesis scoffed and ignored that statement. He was old enough to take care of himself. Besides, he couldn't rest in the lab or her room. As he walked closer to the panel, his eyes traveled over Sephiroth's figure and his eyes narrowed unconsciously. Sephiroth wasn't known as a generous man towards his pupils- his pupils usually wouldn't last long, actually- but there was something different about Eloise and he was sure Sephiroth had bigger plans for her than he let out.

"Have you seen it?" Genesis asked, his eyes already on the screen.  
  
Angeal nodded while Sephiroth pushed a few buttons to rewind the video.

It was there. It seemed like something triggered a memory because she became anxious. While Genesis was preparing to launch his attack, Eloise relaxed visibly and her face became blank. She stopped blinking whatsoever and her eyes became cold. Even weirder was the color of her eyes.

"They're your color. Her eyes resemble yours, Sephiroth."

Saying that Genesis was pissed was an underestimation. Angeal was shocked and Sephiroth was silently watching the rest of the video. Her pupils dilated only to make her eyes seem more like a snake's and the pale blue color of her iris became turquoise, exactly like Sephiroth's.

"Is that an anomaly to mako?" Angeal asked his friends with worry.   
  
Maybe it was because of her body's reaction to mako energy but they all knew that wasn't possible. Something in her body changed.

* * *

While people were panicking or meditating about her problem, Eloise decided to take the rest of the day off. She didn't expect to see Zack since he was always around Angeal so it was quite a surprise when the two siblings met in the cafeteria, both having the same expression.

"Why are you sulking? I thought Zack Fair never sulks."  
  
He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her.

"I have a mission tomorrow. It's in Wutai."

"Oh."  
  
They knew there were big chances for Wutai to start a war. If there was a war, they'd have to act like soldiers and protect their land. That also meant some people were going to die.

"Well, I hope it's going to end nicely. You only have to infiltrate, right?" She asked and he nodded. "Then it won't be much."  
  
Zack looked at her and smiled widely, squishing his little sister in his arms.

"You really know what to say to make me feel better, huh?"  
  
She squirmed in his grasp until he let her go. After she got out of his embrace, she smiled and placed a hand over Zack's.

"I am your sister, you know. If you aren't happy, then how can someone else be?"

That was how the next few months passed. Eloise was either around Sephiroth, either going into the city with Zack. Her dates with Reno were usually in the weekends, if they were free. Reno had more time to spare than Eloise because Lazard was finding it funny to send her in different missions. There were mission that ended smoothly, but when he sent her into the desert to find a missing politician and kill him, she knew it might already be a failure.

"It's cold at night. Did you bring pillows?"  
  
That was only the beginning of Genesis' tormenting. It just so happened that Lazard found Genesis to be most suitable for the same mission.

Truthfully, after the redhead witnessed the change in her body, he decided to keep his distance from her. His situation wasn't going well at all and he didn't want to feel responsible for her too. Eloise was always training, trying to become better at controlling the energy, she was growing stronger and Sephiroth knew it. He was rather proud of her perseverance but Genesis was getting engulfed into his own issues.

"Did you bring enough water?" He continued in an authoritarian tone.

"Yes, master."   
  
Genesis scowled. It's been a while since they got the chance to be left alone together and it ticked him off. It wasn't necessarily because of her connection to Sephiroth; he didn't care how close they became over the last few months. No. Not at all.

"Can you do something right?!" He snapped randomly.  
  
She was trying to set up a tent. It wasn't even his but he found it vital to scream at her. 

"Why don't you go take a piss on someone else, Genesis? What's your problem anyway? We only have to find the man and kill him. After that, we won't have to see each other's faces anymore."  
  
He felt offended. Genesis didn't know why but he wanted to shoot fireballs at something.


	16. 16

"Why don't you just blast some fire from your hand? It's getting cold."

While Eloise was preparing for a night in the desert, Genesis was trying to keep himself busy. His mind was wavering through dark places. Ever since he realized that her blood wasn't going to change his situation, but only stabilize it for limited time, his view over Shinra got darker and darker.

He did try to set up his own tent, but at some point, he became annoyed and blasted a fireball at it. After that he decided to leave and vent his anger. From the side, it was quite funny to watch him. Eloise was already eating when Genesis returned. He was frowning but was visibly more relaxed.

"You can do it on your own."  
  
He was tired already and they didn't even kill the politician.

Actually, he started to question his mission. Usually, as a high ranked SOLDIER, he was supposed to protect Shinra or fight against dangerous pests. Yet, he was in the desert with someone who he hasn't seen or talked to in a while.

It was just a few hours ago when he screamed at her and incriminated her that she wasn't able to do anything right. He didn't necessarily mean it but she was the only person whom he could incriminate of something irrelevant.

From what Eloise observed, her tent was ready and pretty while he didn't have a place to sleep in. The consequences of being a prideful smartass were going to bite him in the ass and she was anticipating that.

"That's funny. Your temper got worse. Did my blood do that as a side effect?"  
  
She was messing with him and he was aware of that. He wasn't in the mood to respond with the same tactic so he kept silent.  
  
Eloise raised an eyebrow and crossed her legs.  
  
"Why are you so mad, Genesis?"

"Are you not wondering why we have been paired up?"

Truthfully, Eloise begun questioning Lazard's decisions a long time ago. She still had the Jenova file in her drawer. If someone were to enter her room and open it, she would probably suffer the consequences. Being paired up with Genesis felt more like Lazard wanted them out of the picture for a while. Either that or he wanted to take revenge.

"We have to kill someone who ran into the desert. That's all I need to know for now."  
  
Genesis's eyes traveled towards her body. Somehow, she succeeded to light the fire and fix her tent and was now pondering on his question.

As the moon rose on the sky and the stars started to shine around it, Eloise continued to stare at the flames. Her mind was busy trying to find logical answers for every question she had. She wanted to know more so that she could be able to stand up for Shinra but that was proving to be impossible. Behind steel doors were unveiled secrets. The only one who had an idea about those secrets was Genesis.

"Who am I fighting for? What eyes should I trust?" She wondered.   
  
The creature with red eyes asked her the same thing. People around her were blinded by heroic emotions and were bypassing important details. 

The brunette jumped out of surprise when she felt a hand caressing her shoulder. She turned her head to the side and saw Genesis, his eyes twinkling under the moonlight.

"Go to sleep, Eloise."  
  
She stared at him shamelessly. He sighed when he figured she wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Instead of pestering her, Genesis sat beside her. 

"Your eyes, are they deceiving me?" She asked out of nowhere.

"Does your question have a purpose?" He responded with another question.  
  
Genesis wanted to know what she was thinking about. She was usually a secretive person and he wasn't going to get an answer as long as he wasn't persuasive. In that sense, they were alike.  
  
Eloise sighed and turned her eyes back on the flames. She blinked a few times before she closed her eyes and leaned on her hands. She opened her eyes only to stare at the sky. From the side, Genesis could see her orbs moving from one star to another slowly. In that moment, she looked peaceful and beautiful. 

"When I was young, I used to watch the stars with Zack. One day, we saw a falling star and we wished for the same thing. We wished to find each other, no matter where life would get us." She bit her lower lip and sighed. "After he left, I made a wish of my own. I wanted to be able to protect the people who cannot do it themselves. I don't want to be a hero as much as I want to be of some help."

"SOLDIER is not a place to become a savior." Genesis mumbled, his eyes moving towards the flames while her eyes moved on him.

The redhead's mako infused eyes were beautiful. As the firelight was reflecting into his eyes, it made him look wise. Eloise knew he was smart and powerful, but his personality was twisted. Genesis had fawns and flaws, just like any other human. He was human.

"I didn't expect it to be. I seek power. It sounds selfish but I crave for it as much as I crave for respect."  
  
Genesis chuckled. He noticed her need for respect from the time he first dragged her into the simulation room.

"I wanted the same things once. Angeal and I entered the military together. We were friends long before we decided to become SOLDIERs. He always talks about honor and virtue. He trains his pupils in the same way he trained himself but he doesn't know the truth." Genesis' eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"I think it wouldn't matter any way. Angeal is an honorable man. He's the opposite of you. He is calm and waits for the events to unfold before taking measures. He always knows what to do and what to say." Her lips curved into a smile unconsciously before she continued, "I hope Zack will follow in his mentor's footsteps. His personality is so overwhelming but he brings happiness to everyone around him. He's like a ray of light in the company."

"He's troublesome and so are you." Genesis scoffed.  
  
She chuckled and glanced at the redhead.

"This troublesome girl has a tent. That's something you, the wise and powerful SOLDIER, don't have."  
  
Genesis scowled. Unfortunately, that was true.

* * *

Eloise crawled into her tent and left Genesis out. Her plan was to make him ask nicely to use her tent as well, since it was big enough for two people. Of course, that didn't work as she wished. While she fell asleep, Genesis didn't enter the tent but remained outside, staring at nothing in particular. Having a normal conversation with her was rare. Usually, he would tease her until she would scream at him or vice versa. It was nice to sit and talk.

It was somewhere around 5 in the morning when Eloise woke up. She was sweating and her hands were trembling. When she tried to stretch, she hit a waist: it was Genesis, crammed like a fetus. He probably entered after she fell asleep.  
  
There were many ways to wake him up but she shook those thoughts out of her mind. He was nice last night so she was going to pay him back with the same feeling.

The brunwtte was eating a sandwich when she felt her muscles tense. The air was harsher than before and she originally thought that it was going to rain. That was rare in the desert but not impossible. She grabbed Genesis' bag and placed it near hers. Eloise had her back turned when she felt a slight breeze around her neck. It felt different, like electricity. There was something out there, watching her like a predator.

With silent steps, she moved further away from the camp. She didn't have the sword with her but she was going to be fine. There was an invisible force attracting her to one place. Her eyes were carefully analyzing every visible corner and there was something weird going on. She heard a familiar growl and followed the sound to a weird shaped rock. It was big enough to hide a person or an animal. The growl got louder to the point where she started to breath heavier.

There was nothing behind the rock. Suddenly, her eyes changed colors and her body started to move on its own. Eloise turned around swiftly and caught the head of a person. She looked calm; she looked like death. She touched his chest with the other hand and electrocuted him. After she was sure he died, she threw his body to the side like it was garbage. Even worse was that Eloise had a poker face the whole time.

When Genesis woke up, Eloise was nowhere in sight. He looked around the camp but she wasn't there. He saw a light emitting a few feet away and ran there only to find her in an unreadable state: she was hunched behind a rock, trembling and swaying back and forth.

"What happened?"  
  
She raised her head and pointed at the corpse. Genesis raised an eyebrow, his mouth opening slightly.

"I heard it again, the growl. It makes me lose control." She muttered, scared and confused.  
  
Genesis walked towards the corpse and kicked it lightly. 

"At least you finished our mission quickly." He stated, glancing at her over his shoulder.  
  
Eloise was leaning against the rock, trying to steady herself. She didn't look affected anymore, only slightly trembling.


	17. 17

They called Reno and he showed up quickly. Genesis glared at the empty seat in front of him for the whole plane ride while Eloise was seated in front, next to the pilot.  
  
Truthfully, Genesis was getting fed up with Reno's voice.

"We should go out later tonight, yo." The younger redhead said for what felt like the nth time for Genesis.  
  
Eloise tilted her head to the side bemsuedly but didn't respond. Instead, she redirected her attention on the view outside, feeling still a bit shaken after what happened in the dessert.

"She has more important businesses to attend to." Genesis retorted.  
  
Reno raised an eyebrow as he took a peek at Genesis over his shoulder. He was a person that the turk has never liked and will probably never get to know enough in order to understand. Besides, Genesis didn't seem like a trustworthy person and no one knew him well enough to take his side, not even Sephiroth or Angeal.

"How do you know that?" The turk asked, sounding impressiveley calm.  
  
Genesis crossed one leg over the other and smirked.

"Because it regards me."  
  
Reno's head turned curiously to Eloise for an answer but she rolled her eyes and leaned her head against the window.

"Probably." She responded.  
  
Reno didn't seem convinced of that. She shrugged and ignored the two men for the rest of the way.

* * *

When they landed back in Midgar, Genesis grabbed Eloise's hand and hurried into the building. He was tired of Reno and his flirting and Eloise didn't seem to mind that man. The truth was that Eloise just wanted to go into her room and sleep. She was very tired already. The mission went smoothly yet neither she nor Genesis were happy with the outcome.

Instead, Genesis dragged her into his room and locked the door. He turned to face her before he crossed his arms in front of his chest, waiting for her to speak but she didn't. She was aimlessly moving around the room. He watched her go inspect his kitchen, his bathroom and even the small part where he would rest.

After that, she turned around and sat on his bed. She shifted a few times until she decided to get into the bed and close her eyes. Genesis raised an eyebrow and walked towards her. 

"We have to talk about your mission in Sector 8." His voice was stern. "What did you see there?"

"Nothing." She said coldly.  
  
Genesis eyed her warily. Eloise was a girl with a lot of courage and stuborness. He wasn't going to get any answers from her if he were to be nice so he had to be the bad guy in order to make her talk. Therefore, he grabbed her arm harshly and pulled her into his chest. Their faces were very close and they could see their reflection in each other's eyes.

While Genesis was concentrated on making her speak, Eloise felt her heart flinch a little. Up close, Genesis looked handsome. His eyes were beautiful and having him so close she could actually see that he too was just like any other human; he too was getting old. Her eyes moved over every inch of his face until they stopped on his lips.

Genesis was too caught into his plan to realize just how much she was admiring him. He was a man that really worth the struggle, she started to think like that. Maybe giving him her blood was going to help him more than they thought.

"A wolf. I was attacked by a wolf with red eyes. I always lose my consciousness when I hear that growl. I feel like I am pushed into a corner and the energy takes control over my body." She answered, still entranced by the man in front of her.

Genesis stared at her for a little bit longer,  looking deeply into her eyes, searching for something. He didn't know what that was exactly, but he too felt like she was far more important than he originally thought.

"Maybe it was an illusion."   
  
She blinked twice and got out of the trance. His voice hinted that he didn't truly believe the story.

"Maybe. Maybe I only imagined it, right? Maybe I am losing my mind!" Eloise exclaimed, annoyed that he implied she imagined everything.

"Maybe you should start talking about your problems. No one knows what's going on and what are you thinking about. If you don't say it, we don't know how to help you!" He screamed back, losing his cool.

"You cannot help me. It's in my body!" She hissed.

Genesis' eyes widened and grasped her hand while pulling her even closer.  
  
"Do you even know what happens in **my** body?! I am degrading and it's all because of Shinra! The ones like us can't live peacefully, Eloise!"

"The ones like us?! Stop saying that. We are not monsters!"   
  
He grabbed her chin and pulled her even closer.

"We have nothing human in us." 

Her pupils were dilating and her blue eyes were slowly getting turquoise. He pulled her harshly off the bed and dragged her in the bathroom, shoving her in front of the mirror.

"Can you see it now? There is nothing human in us anymore. We are only subjects for Shinra. We are only puppets trained to destroy anything that goes against Shinra." 

Eloise could hardly hear him. She was shocked by her face, the way she seemed paler than normal and her lips looked as if she drunk tomato juice. Her eyes were changing back and forth, from blue to turquoise. Eloise has never seen the changing before, she only felt it.

"You are not a human anymore. You are part of Project Jenova." Genesis continued.  
  
Eloise closed her eyes tightly but couldn't open them anymore. She fainted.

* * *

When Eloise woke up, she was in the same room, on the same bed. 

Genesis was on a nearby couch, drinking something and reading Loveless. He wasn't dressed in his uniform which let Eloise a clear view of his tall and fit body. Truthfully, he looked nice. It was quite a revelation for her. She was analyzing the most insufferable man she has ever met and it wasn't bad at all.

"Are you done staring?" 

He didn't look at her even when he placed his book down and got on his feet. She watched him curiously as he walked towards her.

"What are you doing?"  
  
Genesis seemed deep in thought. Suddenly, he pulled her closer. 

"You're glowing."   
  
Eloise scowled and pushed him away.  
  
Genesis's eyes narrowed when he noticed something, "You're not glowing now." 

Truthfully, he had seen that before. She would glow a blue light after every excess of mako energy during a fight but there was another sparkle that didn't seem to be triggered by something in special. It was like a yellow light, switching on and off from time to time.


	18. 18

The next day, Eloise had training with Sephiroth in the early morning. Her 3rd class training got postponed that week and so, Sephiroth decided to use it for a better purpose.

Eloise was groggily walking towards the simulation room when she met someone familiar. She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to remember what was his name but he recognized her before she could. He stopped in front of her and bowed, his stoic face reminding her of Zack's friend. Right!

"Oh you are Tseng!" 

There was no expression on his face. He was a turk so it was quite complicated to say if he was a bad guy or not.

"I am here to deliver this to you." He said as he gave her a box.  
  
It was tiny and fancy which made her reluctant to take it. Tseng chuckled and pushed it into her hands.

"What is this?" She asked, turning it around so she coud get a better look at it.

"An invitation." Tseng responded, her eyes widening in surprise.

"If this is an invitation then I really want to see a present. Who is it from anyway?" She searched for the name on the box. It was written on the bottom. "Shinra?!"   
  
Tseng nodded, "I have to go now. I hope you will have a good day, Eloise." He said before he left.  
  
Her eyes traveled to the box and she sighed. She had to go back to her room and place it somewhere visible so she would not forget about it.

* * *

When Eloise opened the door to the simulation room she was aware she was late and Sephiroth was going to punish her however, the first and only face she could see was Genesis'. He was there, waiting patiently in the middle of the room, not doing much.

"And so she arrives, eventually."   
  
She raised an eyebrow and walked right past him, glancing around, trying to catch a glimpse of her mentor. He wasn't there.

"Are you searching for Sephiroth, maybe? He is in the control room, watching us." He started, his tone spiteful as if he has been forced to be down there.    
  
But it was his idea. Genesis went to Sephiroth and asked him for a favor. It wasn't for neither of their safety; it was for hers.

"And what is the plan for today's training session?" She asked, wanting nothing but to get it over with as fast as possible.

Genesis chuckled and grabbed his rapier. His eyes traveled over it until he decided to look at her instead, his smirk growing and eyes narrowing.

"Today we fight in Sector 8." 

Suddenly, the room shifted into the same alley she had been attacked in. Eloise's eyes widened and she froze for a few seconds. Genesis chuckled before he ran quickly and kicked her. She went flying in the nearest wall.

"That was nasty." Eloise groaned as she got back on her feet.

"This is a fight so take it seriously, Eloise."   
  
She glared at the redhead. That sounded a lot like what Sephiroth would say not Genesis and it was annoying. He didn't have a right to scold her. Genesis held no important position in her life. 

Eloise tightened the hold on her sword and swayed it around. When she felt the muscles relax her head raised fast. Genesis wasn't far and he was only watching her, waiting for her to attack. There was something strange going behind him, though. She titled her head to the side for a better view and her eyes widened when she met a pair of red eyes, shining into the darkness.

Up, in the control room, Sephiroth was watching his pupil. She was well until she noticed something behind Genesis, something he couldn't see. He furrowed his eyebrows, leaning closer to the screen so he could make sure there was nothing. He zoomed in but couldn't see anything but empty space.

Genesis on the other side had some problems. He tried to attack her again but she caught his hand easily and threw him to the side. He regained his balance quickly and threw a few fire shots but she dodged them with her sword. Genesis glared at the young SOLDIER and decided to act serious.

As he learned throughout years, the best way to win a fight against someone controlled by power was to attack their mind not their body thus he walked silently towards her and grabbed her arm. She almost electrocuted him again if it wasn't for his reflexes. He inspected her face yet she looked the same, nothing was changing.  
  
Until she heard it. The growl. Her eyes widened and she turned her head towards the wolf. The creature seemed amused as it snarled and started to walk towards her. Eloise took a few steps back but the wolf looked ready to hover over her. She was scared as a sudden rush of electricity invaded her body.

While moving backwards, she felt two strong arms pull her into a weak hug. She noticed that the wolf stopped and watched as she started to squirm in the hug. Genesis let her free but remained close. Once he let her go, the wolf ran quickly towards them. She tensed and grabbed Genesis' hand unconsciously. The wolf was ready to hover over her when he suddenly faded away.

Eloise fell on her knees, her hands and legs trembling as she felt her heartbeats grow unsteady. 

"Did you see it?" She asked, grasping Genesis' hand tightly, "It was here. The wolf was here." 

Genesis didn't say anything but looked worriedly how someone so feisty could be come so vulnerable. And the reason, well that was the main problem: no one but her could see the wolf.

* * *


	19. 19

"She got scared yet I can't seem to find the reason why. There was nothing in the room."

Sephiroth called Angeal to discuss the footage. While the mentor was trying to think of an explanation, Angeal was growing more and more worried. Eloise was acting as if she was hallucinating but the level of her anxiety towards that hallucination was growing terribly fast. Her reactions were getting out of control.

* * *

On the other side, Genesis got Eloise out of there. He actually forced her to change in casual clothes and go in town. She was annoyed at first- no, she was still annoyed.

"Why did I have to change and you didn't?"  
  
Genesis ignored her question completely.

She could feel her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. He was an asshole even if his intentions were good. In one swift movement, she turned around and tried to go back but Genesis grabbed her before she could get too far.

"We're going to have fun."  
  
She scowled, "Do you even know what fun is?"  
  
Genesis tried to remind himself that it was for a good cause. Even if he had to play nice and be a gentleman, it didn't mean he actually enjoyed it. She was a pain in the ass, no matter what.

In the end, Genesis led her to the theater. She titled her head to the side in confusion as she eyed the entrance as if it was the wolf itself. She took a few steps back, just in case. 

"It's only a theater, Eloise. It won't hurt you." He said, grabbing her hand and hurrying inside.

"I doubt it." She mumbled on the way.

* * *

" _Ladies and gentlemen, we present you in this lovely evening, Loveless!"_

Eloise's right eye twitched; she should have imagined he would get somehing out of this so called fun time. She glanced at the audience to see they were pretty excited yet none was enjoying the piece as much as the man next to her. 

_The piece started with one man, standing in the middle of the scene. The light was dim. They could only see his form. The man seemed lost and dumbfounded until he started to speak._

_When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end_

_The goddess descends from the sky_

_Wings of light and dark spread afar_

_She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting_

_After he finished, two other men walked from each side of the stage. They started to talk about their lives and about the everlasting gift of the goddess. They decided to go and search for it and that was how the first act started._

_Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess_

_We seek it thus, and take to the sky_

_Ripples form on the water's surface_

_The wandering soul knows no rest._

_There weren't only parts of the poem, Eloise was surprised to hear the men talk normally, as well. They were using a script, they weren't only reciting the poem. They were reenacting a life story._

_The quest itself seemed to be dangerous and heartbreaking. Two friends ended up on one side while the third one was left alone. Eloise's eyes moved on Genesis. He was entranced by the play._

_There is no hate, only joy_

_For you are beloved by the goddess_

_Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds_

_Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul_

_Pride is lost_

_Wings stripped away, the end is nigh_

_The actor who played the third friend was quite good. His acting was heartbreaking. She could feel the sadness and regret he held in his heart. However, he was optimistic because he had the gift of the goddess to find. For him, that purpose alone was what gave him hope and helped him move forward._

_The first two friends ended up separating as well. One was closer to the third while the other one was further apart. In the end, the second friend died and the third friend had to bury him. It was a beautiful scene. They acted as if the second friend went to the goddess. They even used a mechanism to make him seem like he was flying._

_My friend, do you fly away now?_

_To a world that abhors you and I?_

_All that awaits you is a somber morrow_

_No matter where the winds may blow_

_My friend, your desire_

_Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess_

_Even if the morrow is barren of promises_

_Nothing shall forestall my return_

_On the other side, the first friend was getting further and further away from the gift of the goddess. He got lost and died alone._

_The third friend was the only one who survived, barely. He found out that the gift of the goddess was life itself._

The audience applauded enthusiastically and cheered but for Eloise that piece felt more real than she originally thought. She was still staring at the stage when Genesis grabbed her hand and led her outside. 

"What did you think about it? It's different when you see it played, right?" He asked, his eyes looking at the crowd forming in the hall. 

"Three friends wanted to find the gift of the goddess. They started as a team and ended up getting lost." Saying it out loud, it made her heart throb, "I don't want that to happen."

"It's already happening." Genesis whispered, letting go of her hand.

* * *

Their next stop was a restaurant. Unlike Zack and Reno, Genesis had more refined tastes; as he said himself, he wasn't to be compared to her puppy brother and Reno the buffoon.

"Did you get an invitation to Shinra's son birthday?" Eloise asked, changing the subject. 

"Everyone from SOLDIER did. It happens every year. We are requested to come and watch Shinra's son get praised." Genesis mumbled, playing with his food. He didn't eat anything and talking about Shinra was making him sick.

"But we are allowed to have fun, right?"  
  
Genesis wanted to ask her what was her definition of that word but instead, he nodded.

She smiled softly and looked at him with intense blue eyes. He felt himself shiver when their eyes met. Without the SOLDIER uniform, she did look like a girl moreover, a pretty girl. Probably the energy was making her glow again.

"Then shouldn't we find something to dress? Something formal?" Eloise asked, her eye glistening with mischeviousness.   
  
Genesis's demeanor darkened considerably when he saw her smirk devilishly. Eloise grabbed his hand as soon as they left the restaurant, which shocked the redhead.  
  
"Let's buy you a tuxedo."  
  
He didn't like that idea; not at all.

* * *

The shopping center was packed. Some girls recognized Genesis but only because he was tall and would give off the atmosphere of a SOLDIER. women were finding him interesting, especially because of his eyes yet none were genuinely admiring him.  
  
"Are you the hero that everyone's talking about? The one Shinra trusts the most." One woman started, her eyes wide and curious.  
  
Eloise bit her lip bemsuedly, seeing Genesis' eyes narrow at the woman.   
  
"Heroes don't exist and you are just a tool in the hands of Shinra. A tool that's not particularly appealing." He hissed, blatantly scoffing at her.  
  
The woman slapped him hard before she and the others she was with left.

"You did something stupid back there." Eloise mumbled, connecting her hands behind her back. 

Truthfully, he acted as himself. He went a bit overboard when he called that woman a tool and told her she is not appealing yet he acted rightfully. Genesis ignored her statement. He grabbed her hand and held it for the rest of the time, preferring to give the impression that they were a couple. Besides, it felt quite good. Her hand was small but she had long fingers. His hand was bigger than hers and he could cover hers completely.

Eloise stopped in front of a few shops before she decided on one. She made Genesis try different tuxedos. Of course, she did use it as a chance to take revenge on all the times he made fun of her. That was the main reason why Genesis got out of the cabin in an old, Victorian-ish tuxedo, his hair making the green tuxedo seem even weirder than it was.

"I don't like this." He scoffed as soon as he walked out.

"Too bad. It seems perfect for you." His eyes narrowed at her bemused statement. "Can you get on one knee and bent your head? Oh, and place both hands on your right hip as if you intend to grab your sword." Eloise continued, her wide blue eyes watching him carefully.

There was a moment of deadly silence. Under her intense gaze, Genesis sighed heavily and with a glare, he did it. He raised his head in time to see her inspecting him but as he watched her closer Genesis realized she was glowing again. It was that yellow glow and it disappeared once she got on her feet.

"You can try one that you like now. My revenge is over." Eloise stated, the glint in her eyes fading completely and turnign to the usual way she'd look at him.

* * *

On the way to the exit, Eloise tried to act as if nothing happened. She didn't just embarrass her higher up in a shopping center. Even if he looked ridiculous, he gave off a noble aura that made him stand out. 

"Hey, Genesis. Why did you take me out?"  
  
That was the question he tried to avoid yet it came nonetheless.

"Because you were ready to lose control." He answered by the book.  
  
She bit her lower lip and remembered the training session, "You don't believe me, do you?"  
  
Genesis didn't even turn his head to look at her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a mannequin dressed in a red suit. He looked handsome and the suit itself wasn't too formal. It was the right way. She stopped and stared at it admiringly, imagining Genesis wearing it. 

Once they entered SOLDIER, the scent of steel and sweat overwhelmed her. Genesis's behavior didn't change but hers did: once she entered the building, her posture straightened and her face became expressionless. It felt like she was someone completely different from the easy going girl who forced Genesis to bow in front of her in an ugly tuxedo.

She went straight into her room and ignored Genesis for the rest of the night. He raised an eyebrow and went into the lounge. Angeal and Sephiroth walked in a few moments later.

"Did you find anything?" Genesis asked.  
  
Sephiroth shook his head. They searched for answers the whole afternoon but didn't find anything suspicious.

"Her body's reacting to something but we can't explain what. The wolf she sees is either a hallucination either pure energy she emanates." Sephiroth answered.

"I tried to take her out of the building to see how she reacts. She didn't talk about it and there was no energy incident. She seemed normal."  
  
Angeal rubbed his forehead and propped on the couch.

"I want it to be a secret between us. We can't tell Lazard about her. Who knows what he would do to her." Sephiroth added.  
  
The three friends nodded. Sephiroth left after a few moment and Genesis went into his room. Angeal had to go on a mission with his puppy soon and he never felt so burdened about a secret before; he had to keep Eloise's state a secret from her brother.

* * *

Eloise locked herself in her room and tried to act as if her body was fine. She controlled the energy for the whole time she spent with Genesis because she wanted to show him that she is mature enough and that she was able to control it. It proved to be a little difficult. There were times she wanted to get it out as the training session left some scars in her body. She lost control in the simulation room and it wasn't easy to get it back. She needed rest right after in order to recharge but Genesis dragged her out. It wasn't safe but she enjoyed it.

She started to smile unconsciously at the memories of the afternoon. Going out with Genesis felt like a date: they went to see a play, they went to restaurant and to the shopping center. Unconsciously, she started to giggle like a high school girl and roll in her bed. When she realized what she was doing, she stopped and frowned. Eloise shook her head quickly and closed her eyes tightly.

"Don't make me feel something for that asshole. I won't fall for him, no, no."  
  
Sadly, it was too late. Her heart was already fluttering.


	20. 20

The next day, Eloise had to get ready for training with Sephiroth. Ever since he dragged Genesis into her training sessions, she became curious what other new things he will add.

She was drying her hair when she heard a soft knock on the door. The brunette opened it quickly and faced her mentor. Her head snapped to the clock worriedly but she still had one hour until training. 

Sephiroth walked in without telling her anything and placed a big box on her bed. 

"What is that?" She asked, pointing at the box.

"Why don't you open it to find out?"  
  
Eloise looked between the box and her mentor, unsure if she should be anxious or not. Sephiroth wasn't known as a nice guy; even to her, he wasn't necessarily nice. 

With wary hands, she opened the box slowly. Her eyes widened when she realized what he gave her: an elegant, long black dress. The fabric felt soft at hand and the upper part had an interesting pattern while the rest was simple. 

Her eyes traveled from the dress to her mentor. and her lips curved into a wide joyfull smile. Small as she was next to him, she wrapped her hands around him and hugged him tightly. Sephiroth froze for a moment; since he didn't know how to respond to her, he only patted her head.

"That won't make today's training easier, right?" She asked, the sound muffled into his chest.

"No. You will fight Angeal today." Sephiroth answered, not a tinge of amusement in his voice.    
  
She sighed and let him go before she placed the sdress back in the box. She couldn't be mad, though; not after seeing a bit of Sephiroth's kindness for the second time. 

* * *

"Today, I will fight you."  
  
Angeal was patiently waiting for her in the simulation room. He was watching carefully instead of teasing her. It was far better than fighting against Genesis.

"I know."  
  
But that didn't mean she wasn't feeling confident. All the training she went through with Sephiroth started to pay off but she was always basing her abilities on annoyance and anger. Angeal didn't cause her any of that.

Angeal didn't use the buster sword instead, he grabbed his usual sword and got into a defensive position. Eloise titled her head to the side and eyed him warily. She had to attack him first. Her eyes moved quickly to her hand and took a deep breath. She encouraged herself mentally and ran towards her brother's mentor, trying to kick him before using her sword. He jumped and moved away, raising an eyebrow before swaying his sword around. Eloise ran towards him ready to slash his shoulder buthe saw that coming and kicked her. She took a few steps back and breathed heavily. She was consuming too much energy and still had to plan her next move.  
  
Angeal tauntingly raised an eyebrow which triggered something deep in her body. Eloise took deep breaths in order to calm herself and control the energy that was bubbling inside her chest.

"Are you going easy on me, Eloise?" Angeal asked, smirking.

"Are you?" She asked, copying his expression.  
  
Angeal chuckled. He tightened his grip around his sword and ran at her. She was ready to block his attack but it never came. Angeal slipped past her and got ready to slash her side. Thanks to her good reflexes, she blocked his sword with her hand but Angeal didn't stop there. He kicked her in the back and threw her into the wall. Eloise didn't even know what happened. She rubbed her head and realized that her hand was bleeding. In the blood, she saw little sparks of electricity. Her eyes moved on the older man and waited. He ran at her with full speed and raised his sword. She bent right when he was ready to attack. Somehow, she slipped through his hands and grabbed his face. She hissed and pushed him hard. He flew a few feet until he regained his balance. Her hand was shining and her eyes changed gradually. 

* * *

"She's going to kill him if you don't stop her."  
  
Genesis was in the control room, with Sephiroth, supposedly supervisising her. Although Genesis knew it was stupid, a fight between Eloise and Angeal proved to be interesting. Her fighting abilities improved a lot and so did her self control but she was taking the fighting will of her enemy. Angeal had a more theoretical style and she was trying to compete with rough power. It didn't work. Angeal wasn't Genesis.

Sephiroth was entertained. He was impressed with her ability to shift from one style to another. His fighting style was pretty rough too because he knew that he would win quickly. When he fought her, she had the same superior demeanor,s he knew she would win if she would let the energy control her. While learning how to control it, she realized the power she actually had and she became aware of the changing. It was up to her if she would end up killing or spearing someone's life.

"Let's wait and see."  
  
Genesis narrowed his eyes at his friend. He couldn't figure out what he was thinking about.

* * *

On the other side, Eloise was trying to decide. She couldn't let the energy control her and kill Angeal; that wasn't who she was. Therefore, she had to induct pain to herself so that she could carry it for longer. She glanced at her sword and closed her eyes as she trailed her palm over the spade. It stung a little but it wasn't that painful. Her eyes started to change back and she sighed. Both her hands were bloody but she could fight like that. As long as she wasn't going to black out, she was fine.

Angeal watched her curiously and worriedly. He couldn't figure what she was thinking about. Much like her mentor's, her actions were questionable. Angeal blinked once and her form disappeared. He looked around warily but he couldn't see her; he couldn't even feel her presence.

"Are you looking for me?"  
  
His eyes widened when he heard her whisper. She was behind him and something was pocking his back.  
  
"If I'd want to, you'd be dead in a matter of seconds." Eloise hissed.

"But you wouldn't do that. You are not a killer."  
  
She titled her head to the side and pouted, "I wonder. I've been created to kill, haven't I? I am a monster."  
  
Her eyes narrowed and her grip on the sword tightened. She pushed the tip hard enough to get through his skin. It only caused a minor wound, nothing dangerous before she stopped and took a step back. Something in her was unsatisfied.

Suddenly, the surroundings came back to normal and Sephiroth walked down the stairs, Genesis following closely. The redhead went straight to her and helped her keep her balance while Sephiroth watched.

"I'll take her to the hospital."  
  
Sephiroth frowned as the redhead helped Eloise up.

"Did you hear her, Sephiroth?" Angeal asked, walking closer to the silver haired SOLDIER.  
  
Sephiroth was silently watching Genesis help his pupil out of the room. He didn't really like the sight but it intrigued him. Genesis' behavior changed gradually after he met Eloise.

"I heard her. She is not a monster." He answered coldly.

* * *

"You are an idiot."  
  
Eloise had both her hands covered in blood; her blood. Her self control was wavering and she didn't need a reason to lose it.

"I had to hurt myself in order to stay conscious."  
  
Genesis looked at her and leaned back in his chair. Hollander wasn't in the laboratory so they had to require Hojo's assistance. Eloise's face paled when she saw him grab a long needle and closed her eyes when he moved it closer to her arm.

"Relax, Eloise. You won't feel anything. Your adrenaline is still rushing through your body." Hojo told her in that specific tone of his, making her feel paranoid.  
  
She tried to cop up with it but it did hurt. When she felt the substance enter her body, her eyes widened and she moaned in pain.

"Her eyes are getting turquoise. What are you giving her?" Genesis asked, his eyes following every action.  
  
Hojo chuckled, "She will feel better in a few minutes."  
  
Genesis frowned. That was really wrong. She was young yet both Hollander and Hojo were tiring her body out.

As Hojo predicted, Eloise fell asleep a few minutes later. He told Genesis to place her on the metal bed and leave but the redhead was skeptical. Who knew what that wicked old man was going to do to her?

"It's fine. I'm not going to harm her. We need to extract a few blood samples and run some tests."

"She lost a lot of blood."  
  
Hojo nodded, "I know. That's why I already called Sephiroth to come and give me some."  
  
Genesis frowned, "Why can't I?"  
  
Hojo raised an eyebrow and pushed the SOLDIER out.

"Her blood can help you but your blood has no effect on her." The scientist told the redhead before the doors shut.

* * *

While Eloise was sleeping, she could hear the sound of two men whispering. She wanted to open her eyes and respond to what they were talking about but she couldn't; she couldn't move her body at all.

"Why am I able to give her blood but I cannot help Genesis or Angeal?"  
  
She figured that was Sephiroth from the first sylable. His voice was easily recognizable.

"Because she has the same celularic system as you." The scientist answered.  
  
Sephiroth was questioning a lot of things lately.  
  
Hojo glanced warily at him before he added, "Thank you for your donation. You can go back now."  
  
Eloise heard him take a few steps towards her and stare. She could feel his eyes boring into her face even if she was asleep.

"She is not a monster. I want her to know that." He mumbled.

After Sephiroth left, she heard Hojo scoff.

"A monster shouldn't talk like that about another one." He started before coming closer to her, "In the end, you two are made of the same Mother. Your bond runs deeper than you will ever know." 

* * *

After the fight with Angeal, Eloise realized just how little time she spent with her comrades in the favour of the higher ranked SOLDIERs. Therefore, she decided to take lunch with them.

"So you have been invited to the party, right?"   
  
Matt became very talkative after he almost died. He used to be irresponsible and cause trouble for the team but that changed.

:I got a dress. It's really pretty." She said, smiling softly. It was really special because it was given by her mentor.

"You got a date?" Matt asked.  
  
Eloise blinked in confusion. She didn't know she needed a date too.

"I think I'll just go with my brother."   
  
Matt chuckled, "Are you serious? Isn't Sephiroth your mentor? Well why don't you go with him as your date?"  
  
She blinked. It took a few moments to realize what he was actually implying.

"No."  
  
It sounded like she was terrified of that idea. Matt wanted to tease her more but his eyes caught sight of another person. He stared at her for a few seconds and got up. His colleagues watched him go and ask Cissnei of the Turks to the party. She actually accepted.

* * *

"So I need a date."  
  
That actually became very annoying. She wanted to have fun with her friends and brother but a date meant a lot of responsability and touches. She didn't want either of them.  
  
"I am so not going to find one." Eloise mumbled, giving up before beginning.

"Are you talking to yourself now? Is that your new hobby?"  
  
Her eyebrow started to twitch and not because he appeared when she last wanted but because her heart was fluttering once again.

"I am not in the right state of mind to deal with you."  
  
Genesis chuckled and laid his head on her shoulder, "What are you thinking about, Eloise?"

"Genesis," She started, tilting her head so she could look at him, "Am I pretty?" Eloise asked out of nowhere.  
  
Genesis blinked a few times and stared at her blankly.

"What?"  
  
She sighed and leaned really close to his face. His eyes narrowed when he felt her breath on his face.

"Am I pretty enough to get a date for the party?" She asked again.  
  
Genesis was a little overwhelmed by the situation. He was used to her unwomanly behavior so that question wasn't welcomed in his mind. 

"You are a pain in the ass." He answered even if that wasn't what he meant to say.  
  
They blinked and stared at each other expressionlessly. In the end, she glared at him and pushed him away.

"As expected." she mumbled before leaving.  
  
Genesis blinked, not able to do anything but stand there and watch as she turned the corner towards the lounge. That statement didn't make much sense. His answer didn't make sense either.


	21. 21

"This feels and looks so awkward."

Eloise was looking at her reflection in the mirror: her hair was curled and tied up in a stylish bun, she wore grey and red make up that pointed her eyes out and pale lipstick. The dress was complimenting her body well and she was weirded out by that. She didn't want to know how Sephiroth knew her measures.

"Are you ready, date?"  
  
Eloise looked at her brother's reflection and smiled. Zack looked really good in a black suit. He actually looked decent enough to get a girlfriend. 

The days flew by really fast. One day they were training and almost killing Angeal and then, the formal party came. No one asked Eloise to be their date, which made her feel both grateful and disappointed. 

She asked Genesis if she was pretty and his response was probably what every guy was thinking. Her mate was right, being around Sephiroth for so long made her take some of his traits and she ended up intimidating everyone.

"You look amazing, Eloise." Zack bluntly told her what she wanted to hear.

"Even if I were to look hideous, you'd still say I look amazing."  
  
Zack gasped playfully and touched his chest, as if he were offended, "That is not true."  
  
She scoffed and gave him a pointed look. He gave up and chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, you're right. But you can't blame me. I love you." He was a sentimental blackmailer.  
  
With how much time she spent with cold and unapproachable people, she got used to ignoring emotional things. Zack was an emotional thing all the time.

* * *

Everyone had to meet in the lobby downstairs and leave at once. That wasn't the case for the three best SOLDIERs, who left earlier at President Shinra's insistance.  
  
Eloise' teammates were surprised how different and feminine she looked since they knew her only as the sweaty and playful little fighter. It was certainly nice to see her like that.

"I'm scared to enter."  
  
Her heart was beating fast and her hands were trembling. She wasn't that nervous, actually, she didn't really know why she was nervous in the first place.

Zack grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He smiled cutely at her and pulled her closer, entering the room last. Truthfully, if they didn't look so much alike, people would have thought they were a couple; they looked very cute together.

The first to notice the Fair siblings was Angeal. He saw Zack's hair from a few feet away and smiled when his eyes caught sight of Eloise. 

"You look amazing. Both of you. There might be a chance for you left." Angeal joked, which for Eloise was a weird moment.   
  
Zack rolled his eyes and grabbed a glass of champagne. Angeal raised an eyebrow bemusedly.  
  
"Are you allowed to drink, Zack?"  
  
The puppy stopped midway and sighed, "Am I?"  
  
Angeal shook his head and chuckled. Zack took that as a good sign and gulped down the entire glass.  
  
"I think I'll need a few more to survive until the speech." Zack mumbled before venturing into the crowd.  
  
Eloise rolled her eyes and turned her back to him. She scanned the room for familiar faces but could only see Genesis and Sephiroth, each talking to different people.

It took around three more hours and five more glasses of champagne for Zack to loosen up but time was ticking too slowly for Eloise. She followed her brother for most of the time while Angeal disappeared in the crowd.

"Can I have this dance, Miss?"  
  
Eloise glanced over her shoulder annoyed. She wasn't a good dancer and didn't want to show that to everyone.

"Can I refuse?"  
  
The guy who asked her for a dance was probably a little bit older than herself. He had an intense gaze and looked ready to kill her. She tilted her head to the side and blinked confusedly. He was checking her out but not in a perverted way. In the end, she let him lead her in the middle of the room as everyone stopped and stared at them. It was uncomfortable.

"Just ignore them. Look at me." He told her softly.

"But why are they so interested? It's not like I'm dancing with the president."  
  
The blond chuckled and leaned close to her ear, "I am the birthday boy." He whispered.  
  
Her eyes widened and she tried to push him away but he grasped her back and pulled her closer.  
  
"That doesn't have any meaning. I am dancing with a pretty girl. People are bound to look anyway."

"I don't like it." She admited, "They are like hungry animals."

"I'm Rufus Shinra. I am Shinra's legitimate son." He introduced himself like there was nothing wrong.  
  
Eloise tried to focus on his eyes more than on the people but it wasn't working. She could still feel their heavy gazes.

"I'm Eloise Fair. Zack's legitimate sister." she answered, a tinge of sarcasm in her tone.  
  
Rufus chuckled and swayed her to the side before pulling her back.

"I heard there was a new SOLDIER that seemed keen on training and improving. I never imagined it to be a girl."  
  
She raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue but he didn't.

"So what? I am not the first girl who entered the army."

"But you are the first one to get Sephiroth as your mentor." He whispered, leaning uncomfortably close to her ear.  
  
That was really not something she could brag about and she realized that a few months too late.  
  
"It must mean something. Maybe your place is higher than you think." He was hinting towards something and she disliked it.

"You don't know that. You don't know me. We just met."  
  
He leaned closer to her face and stared into her eyes, "We have enough time to get to know each other better."  
  
The song stopped and so did Eloise. She pushed him back slightly and stared at him coldly.

"I know enough, already." She said coldly before leaving quickly through the crowd.  
  
Rufus chuckled and watched her get lost in the room. 

* * *

"I see you've got friendly with my boss."  
  
She was really annoyed and offended by Rufus. Hearing Reno's playful voice, she instantly felt better.  
  
"Do ya mind?" He offered his hand and she took it gladly.

Dancing with Reno was so much better than dancing with Rufus. The redhead was friendlier and didn't have any suspicious intentions. He was twirling her and swaying her with ease and she enjoyed it because they were friends.

"Someone's glaring at me."    
  
Eloise raised an eyebrow and glanced over Reno's shoulder: Sephiroth was more like watching his pupil interact and have a good time but Genesis was fuming and it was getting worse every time Reno would make her laugh or smile.  
  
Angeal knew exactly what was going on. He knew his best friend well.

"You're jealous." Angeal answered his question,"In case you want to know why you feel so mad and why you're gripping the glass so hard. That is jealousy you are experiencing."

"I felt jealous before. I know how it feels like and this is not it." Genesis said through gritten teeth.

Angeal chuckled bemusedly, "You felt jealous before, in training. You've never felt the romantic jealousy, not until now."  
  
Genesis scoffed, "I'm not. I don't have any romantic interest."  
  
Angeal chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you just accept it? You changed after you met Eloise. Not much and not visible, but I can see it and so does Sephiroth. You like her. You thought she was only going to get in the way but she improved so much. You two are not that different, Genesis."  
  
Angeal didn't even know how right he was with that statement.  
  
Genesis watched her dance for a little bit longer until she walked towards them, making his heart beat really fast.

"Can I leave earlier? Zack will be unconscious soon enough and I don't want to take responsability." She asked Sephiroth.  
  
 The eldest SOLDIER nodded and let her leave. She glanced at Genesis once before she walked out.

After 3 minutes, he couldn't refrain his curiosity anymore. Genesis wanted to know for sure if he liked Eloise or not.

* * *

Genesis had a lot of things to think about. He already made plans and somehow, Eloise was the collateral victim. She was the surprise that he didn't see and she was crawling under his skin quicker than any of his friends.

He found Eloise leaning against the wall, her eyes closed. She opened them when she felt him sit beside her.

"I hate scheming bastards." She stated as soon as he sat down.

"I didn't know you felt like that way towards Sephiroth."   
  
Genesis' statement only made her chuckle.

"That kind of attention from men is annoying. It makes me feel like an object." She sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "I hate dresses too." 

"You look beautiful, Eloise."  
  
She smiled softly and looked at him.

"You look good too, Genesis. Surprisingly good. "She chuckled when she realized something. "You bought the red suit."

He did. After he thought deeply about it, he went back and bought the suit she noticed on the way out. It looked much better after he tried it out.

"I liked it. It made me feel like a character from a play."   
  
She tilted her head to the side and smiled, "It does. It looked perfect for you."  
  
Genesis stared at her, his heart beating fast; he couldn't voice his thoughts correctly. He couldn't hold it in anymore and  kissed her. It was short and childish but he did it. She blinked a few times until she registered his actions. He was ready to walk away when she grabbed his face and returned his kiss.

"Shall I take you back?"  
  
Eloise stared up at him with amazing intensity and passion. It was probably the fault of the energy too but she was glowing again and she wasn't the only one.

"Take me back."  
  
He smirked and grabbed her arm. Unlike other times, it seemed like her hand was perfectly fitting into his. She blushed at the contact. It was different and she felt a chill down her spine.

* * *

Genesis led Eloise to the roof. She was confused but at the same time, she was looking forward to his next move. Genesis let go of her hand and walked forward while Eloise remained closer to the door.

"I want to show you something." The redhead started, confusing her even more.

Genesis frowned and placed his hand over his face. It hurt a little but he wanted her to see it. Eloise witnessed a wing growing on his back; one black wing. Her eyes widened but she wasn't scared. She didn't expect that but she couldn't say she was surprised either after all, she was an inductor of mako energy.

"This is what monsters look like. I have a wing, Eloise. A black wing like the one of a demon."  
She wanted to say something but closed her mouth. Genesis turned around and stared at her.  
"This is who I am. This is what I became."

"Just because you have a wing I should see you as a monster? Are you out of your mind? It doesn't change anything." She retorted.

"It changes everything! Don't you understand? That's what we are; human experiments. We become vessels for whatever Shinra creates. We are not like the rest, Eloise." Genesis started, anger filling his heart as he continued, "I am dying because of it. I am disintegrating. I'm going to grow old in a matter of months and no one can help me."  
Eloise scoffed and took a step forward.

"My blood can help. It can give you time."  
Genesis shook his head.

"But not enough. I want you to see me as I am. A monster." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His ears reddened as he finally understood what he really wanted to tell her. "I like you."  
From everything Genesis said that night, that was probably the most shocking thing.

"What?" She wanted to hear it again, to be sure that she wasn't hearing what she wanted to hear.  
Genesis chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"It seems Angeal and Sephiroth already noticed but I didn't. I like you a lot, Eloise. To the point where I would tell you my darkest secrets."  
That probably meant a lot from someone so conceited as him. Genesis was embarassed and it didn't take a genius to notice that. She stared at him blankly until she started to laugh. It sounded genuine. Eloise walked closer to him and caressed his cheek softly.

"You are such an idiot."  
Genesis narrowed his eyes at her. He was still a little confused but mostly offended.  
"If you whom has a black wing is a horrible demon, then what am I? I have electrical energy in my body." She sighed and looked to the side. "A few days ago, when I was fighting Angeal, I had the chance to injure him badly. You were right. I wasn't satisfied. That's because I am the monster."

"You're no-"  
She put a finger over his lips and silenced him.

"I want to kill." She admited, "I have the urge to kill. I love the thrill it gives me. I want to let myself get driven by this craziness inside of me. If one of us is a monster, that's me."  
She placed a hand on each of his cheeks and pulled his face closer. Their foreheads were touching and he could actually see the energy running through her eyes.

"I don't want to leave you." Genesis whispered.  
For Eloise, those words meant a lot. For Genesis, it came more like an apology.

He had his own plans and she was messing them up. The redhead wanted her to hate him but nothing worked with her. He liked her so much that it hurt. It came from deep within and it just proved to him that he still had some humanity left.

"Don't leave me, then." She answered looking into his eyes with mako energy swirling through her eyes.  
Genesis sighed and wrapped his arms around her. 

"You should hold tight."  
Eloise felt a sudden gust of wind and looked around her. He chuckled when he saw her eyes widening a little.

"We're flying! You're flying!" She exclaimed smiling softly and leaneing closer to the man she liked.  
Genesis' heart was beating really fast. She enjoyed that sound, making her feel special. She was maybe too special.

* * *

Genesis took her back to the SOLDIER building. He landed on the roof and escorted her down to the elevator, holding tightly onto her hand for the whole time. He wondered, if he closed his eyes, would she still be there smiling at him? Genesis was scared to find out. It just became obvious that he liked her a lot. He was ready to do anything for her and that was dangerous for he had already chose a path for himself.  
He had to choose between that and probably the love of his life. Genesis had to break something and he didn't want it to be Eloise' heart.

"Why aren't you going to your room?" He asked when he saw her following closely.  
She chuckled and leaned against his shoulder. Unlike other girls, she made it look innocent.

"I want to spend the night with you."   
  
Genesis' heart started to beat even faster than he thought was possible. He could feel a certain thrill of anticipation and he knew he shouldn't give in. He shouldn't let himself forget about his decision and let his desires get him carried away.

But he did.


	22. 22

Eloise was a mischevious girl. She taunted him yet when they entered his room, she blushed and lost a bit of her confidence. He stroke her cheek softly and chuckled, those deep eyes of her closing in shyness. When she opened them again, Genesis's lips were just a few inches from hers, his eyes fixed on her. The energy was more visible than before, swirling wildly around her pupils.

"Are you going to electrocute me again?"

  
She chuckled softly and placed her hand over his.

"Only if you want to."

  
Genesis smirked and leaned closer, capturing her lips in a sweet innocent kiss.

While Eloise was busy with kissing, Genesis sled his hand down her back and unzipped her dress. It fell down instantly, leaving Eloise in her underwear. He grabbed her neck and started to kiss her hungrily. Their bodies were heating up. Genesis wrapped his arms around her waist and pushed her towards the bed.

It was her first time and he wanted it to be memorable. Besides, it was his own way of saying goodbye.

  
Once her legs hit the bed, he pushed her gently and hovered over her. Her fingers found themselves playing with his bow tie. She unfolded it quickly and threw the jacket away. Next, she started to unbutton his shirt. Genesis was patient. He watched her silently as she was enjoying herself. Once she finished, she trailed one hand over his chest, sending chills down his back. Not only because he was aroused but because she had energy slipping through her finger which made everything more intense.

He attacked her neck and slipped his hands under her as he straddled her waist. She laid her head back for more space and groaned. After his shirt was out of sight, her eyes widened as he kissed one soft spot. Eloise wrapped her arms around his neck and sliped one hand in his hair. The SOLDIER got rid of her bra and kissed between her breasts, leaving a trail of red hickeys.

He never thought he would get to the point in his life when he would want something so bad. The pace was getting slower so Eloise rolled the two over so she was on top. He didn't even look taken back. She arched as his hands traveled down to her hips. His blue eyes were deeper than usually, lust, passion and guilt clouding his mind. She leaned in and kissed him deeply while getting rid of his pants.

Genesis saw how excited she was and rolled on top of her. They both groaned at the friction. The kisses became just a diversion to let his hands wonder down her fit stomach and to her panties. Clothes were just unimportant and not needed at the moment. They both stopped the kiss and looked at each other.

"Don't hate me, Eloise."

  
She raised an eyebrow and looked questioningly at him. She was thinking that maybe he was talking about how first time it always hurt. But he wasn't.

He hugged her tightly and kissed her neck. He rested his forehead against hers and entered. She whimpered. Next to the pain she felt before, that was nothing but it was a different kind of pain. Unconsciously, she bucked her hips, making Genesis groan.

The redhead grunted as he started to move in and out at the same pace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he bent his head down, resting it on the crook between her shoulder and neck.

"Do you have second thoughts?"

  
Eloise shook her head and pulled him closer.

He started to go faster and harder. Unlike what he expected, she wasn't the type of woman who would make a lot of noise. She wrapped her legs around his waist, making him go deeper.

"No." Her response was covered by moans and groans.

  
Eloise rested her head against his as he pumped harder and faster than before. She felt the heat knotting in her stomach. She wanted it to last more, stop the time in that moment and cherish it forever.

"Genesis,"

  
When his name rolled out her tounge, he felt something go down his back. She was glowing and so was he. Their bodies were connected so it was normal for him to feel what she was feeling. The energy was swirling around them.

She arched her back high, pressing her chest against his. Her nails dug into his shoulders. They were both close. Genesis held onto her tighter as he thrusted. Her nails dug deeper in his shoulder as she could feel that knot in her stomach grow. She hissed and her vision got blurry. A weird gust of energy rushed down their bodies and they came at the same time. His thrusts slowed down to a steady rhythm until they stopped altogether.

"I'm sorry."

  
She was so tired that she didn't hear his apology, didn't know and never thought about it. Eloise never thought that one day Genesis would fly away and never come back to her.

* * *

Next morning, Eloise woke up at her usual hour. It took a few moments for her to remember what actually happened that night. She didn't regret it; not one bit. She rolled on her side and watched Genesis sleep peacefully. It was such a rare sight. He looked really cute and innocent. It was nothing like his insufferable attitude or frowning expression.

She grabbed a hand through his hair and stroke his face softly. He didn't even stir. He was tired. She knew that much. He was always so defensive in both his body and words.

"I don't want you to become a character of Loveless. Don't go searching for the gift of the goddess, Genesis." She whispered, frowning,"Don't fly away."

A few hours later, Genesis woke up all alone in his room. Eloise was gone and so were her clothes. She had training in the morning and not even the almighty Sephiroth could change the schedule for the 3rd class.

Once he finished showering and eating, Genesis walked into the lobby. Not many people were there so early. Most of the SOLDIERs were training or still sleeping. Angeal was definitely not one of the second category.

"Did you get your answer?" Angeal asked bluntly.

  
He was such a direct person but he was amused by the situation, as well. It wasn't everyday when Genesis would like someone so much.

"I did. And I made a choice."

  
Angeal raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall.

"And what is your choice?"

  
Genesis only tilted his head to the side and sighed.

"You'll see soon enough."

* * *

That night, Genesis decided to visit Eloise. He wanted to see her for one last time but she wasn't in her room. Therefore, he waited for her at the place they used to meet: the elevator.

Truthfully, ever since Eloise entered the training room, she was puking rainbows. Her mates were freaked out. She was shining in a new light. They knew exactly what happened and teased her as much as they could but she didn't mind. She was too happy to care.

When Sephiroth saw her for their training session, he frowned.

"What did you do last night, Eloise?"

  
She shrugged innocently. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and watched her carefully. He was her mentor and got to know her well enough to know when she was lying.

"I didn't do anything bad. Just trust me."

  
He rolled his eyes and dropped the subject. However, in training he unleashed his powers on her. When the training was over, she took a deep breath and fell on her butt.

"What?"

  
She was openly judging her mentor.

"You were ready to kill me!"Eloise complaine dbut it didn't seem to affect Sephiroth.

  
 Zack was her real brother and didn't act so protectively.

"I didn't kill you. I wasn't planning on it either."  
She stared at him in astonishment.

"I have a huge wound on my shoulder and another one on my side! I am covered in blood. Does it look like your usual session?!"  
He helped her up and let her lean against him.

  
"You are a crazy bastard."

  
Sephiroth just gave her a lesson. It was still unsure if it was for her conversations with other people at the ball or because she slept with Genesis. Either way, he wasn't happy with how cocky she got in fighting. She was hurting herself to keep the energy under control instead of letting it consume her and control it as it is.

On her way to the laboratory she met the redhead. He was reading Loveless but quickly put it aside when he noticed her stumbling down the hall.

"Sephiroth is in a bad mood today, isn't he?" That was an underestimation. "Anyway, I have to tell you something." 

Genesis started to say something. She could see his mouth open and close and form words. However, she couldn't hear them. Her vision got blurry and her ears could only hear a high pitched sound. She leaned against the wall for support but it was already too late. Eloise heard only three words before she fainted.

_I'm sorry._


	23. 23

Eloise woke up a few hours later in the lab. She couldn't move but she could hear and was sure that Hojo stuck something inside her body because she felt numb.

  
"Did you make up your mind, Genesis?"

  
She couldn't see anything but she felt him glancing at her.

  
"It's either her life or yours."

Hollander continued, snickering at the end.

"I know that." The redhead snapped, "I don't want her to think I am the bad character. But I know that is what I will become."

  
As he spoke, she felt warmth coming closer and a cold hand grabbed hers.

  
"I think you underestimate Eloise' character. Her life changed once she entered SOLDIER and she welcomed it with her whole heart. She might be the only one who won't judge you." Hollander added, sounding comforting for a second.

"She will be disappointed." Genesis admitted, though it wasn't true.

  
"You underestimate her."

  
She heard Hollander shift and the door opening and closing, meaning that Genesis left.

When she woke up for real, Eloise was alone in her room. She got up quickly and dialed Genesis' number but he didn't pick up. Checking the time, she remembered she had training in 15 minutes and had to get ready. In the shower, she remembered the discussion she overheard in the lab. She had a lot of questions for Hollander.

* * *

The next few days became hectic. The Wutai War begun and many 3rd class SOLDIERs were sent on the field. When only a few returned, Shinra sent Genesis for more information. It's been a month since then and Eloise was worried.

"Don't pout. It makes you ugly." Zack stated, jumping behind her on the sofa.

  
She rolled her eyes and pushed her brother harshly. Her mood changed drastically and so did the color of her energy: instead of electric blue it was green. Her body was changing on its own, not only in training while she was fighting to keep her emotions under control.

"What if something happened to him? Wutai is a war zone."

  
Zack sighed and wrapped an arm around his sister.

"Look, why don't you come and assist me in training? You can stay in the control room with Angeal and watch the magic happen."  
She scoffed.

One way or another, Zack dragged Eloise out of her room with him. The war wasn't doing her any good. She had a lot of missions in a matter of days and her training sessions with Sephiroth became rare. The 1st class SOLDIER was always busy. She didn't complain. Reno was very busy as well so that left her with few people to talk to. Besides, she hasn't been sent on the field in Wutai; her missions were mostly in Midgar.

When she entered the control room, Angeal invited her to take a seat.

"Is this going to be fun? Is he going to get his ass kicked?" Eloise asked expectantly.  
Angeal shook his head and pushed a button.

"Watch me in action sis!" Zack's voice was too optimistic.

  
Zack Fair wasn't a bad fighter at all. He was that pure boy that wanted nothing else but to be a hero for those in need. He wanted to protect those who couldn't fight for themselves.

_"Are you sure Shinra is the best place for that?"_

She realized what he meant back then. Eloise had no idea what was going to happen and even if she imagined, it was nothing like reality. She wasn't a monster but she wasn't a hero either. Truthfully, she didn't know what she was anymore.

"Did you watch him fight before?"

  
She blinked quickly and shook her head. She forgot Angeal was in the room.

  
"Are you alright, Eloise?" Angeal asked worriedly. He has been around her for long enough to know she was concerned and stressed, "I'm sure Genesis is fine." He added, trying to comfort her.

  
She rolled her eyes and leaned on her elbows.

"You say that but you don't know for sure. Nothing you or Zack say will make it better so don't waste your breath for nothing." She was being pretty cold with the one man who always took her side so of course she felt bad right after she spoke. But that was the truth and Angeal knew it.

Zack finished his training quickly. Angeal got a phone call from Lazard and left after a short preach about dreams and honor. Thge Fair siblings knew his speech already, having heard it numerous times before but this time, it stung. 

"So, what did you think Eloise?" Zack was expecting some kind of medium praise. 

"It's messy. You don't think at all before you throw yourself into the battle and I think you always bet on luck. When you had to fight Sephiroth, you got intimidated and entered a defensive state. You weren't going to win the fight. You were only able to resist it." She bluntly explained.

  
Zack's eye twitched.

  
There was a cadet from the troops that entered the lounge and eavesdropped on their conversation. He tried to mask his laughter but it became loud, annoying Zack.

"You spend too much time with Sephiroth." Zack grumbled, feeling guilty for introducing Eloise to the 1st class SOLDIERs.

  
Well, that was his opinion, not hers. Sephiroth did her good. He taught her a lot about fighting and different styles of fighters. She wasn't just a mindless soldier, she knew who to kill and who to save.

Zack was very stressed about the war, as well. He was a 2nd class SOLDIER but he had no assignments. Even his sister had more work than him.

Eloise left right before Zack started to vent out his anger. She was walking aimlessly around the building when she ended up in front of a dark colored door.

"What are you doing, Eloise?"

  
Sephiroth was always there when she wanted a little peace. She didn't want to know how he managed to be omnipresent.

"I'm sulking." She answered.

  
He watched her with no emotion whatsoever. At some point, though, he ruffled her hair fondly. It was a gesture of affection and she really appreciated that. She surprised him when she turned around and wrapped her hands around him, hugging him awkwardly. He didn't know how to react.

  
"Are you going to tell me Genesis is fine too?" She asked, looking up into those mesmerizing eyes.

"No." 

  
She chuckled. Her mentor didn't have a warm heart but he had a blunt personality.

* * *

Later that day, Eloise met Zack in the halls while going to report to her 3rd class trainer. Zack had to meet Lazard for one reason or another. When the two SOLDIERs got in front of the door, it suddenly opened with Lazard smiling like always.

"Even if we haven't seen in a while and I am always delighted to see you, this conversation has nothing to do with you, Eloise."

  
She narrowed her eyes at her boss and left.

  
Zack stared bewildered after his sister before asking.

"What is this conversation about?"

  
"It's nice to finally meet you face to face, Zack," The young SOLDIER smiled boyishly, waiting for the rest, "Lazard, chief of SOLDIER."

  
Zack was a little surprised when his boss stuck his hand out for a handshake.

  
"On to business," The blond started, going back into his office and pushing a few buttons on his computer,"SOLDIER 1st class Genesis. A month ago, he went missing during a mission in Wutai."

  
Zack's eyes widened, "Oh no,"

  
Suddenly, a lot of pressure just fell hard over his shoulders. He was the one who tried to alter the pain for Eloise but he couldn't do that anymore. He couldn't lie to her that everything was going to work out in their favor because Genesis was definitely not fine.

"You know anything about this?" Lazard asked, "Does Eloise know anything about this?"

  
Zack shook his head furiously, "No, of course not. We don't know anything."

  
Lazard glanced warily at his subordinate and moved on.

"The mission is currently stuck in limbo. That's why we've decided to send you."

  
Zack didn't look content at all, "Uh, to Wutai?"

"Yes. This war has gone long enough."

  
Lazard looked very affected even though he probably wasn't. What he was, though, was worried about something but it was hard to understand what.

  
In the room, coming a bit late yet in complete silence was Angeal. He walked next to his pupil and smiled.

  
"I've recommended you for 1st."

  
That was the first sentence that seemed to make sense since Zack entered the room.

  
"Angeal! I love you, man!" His excitement grew in a heart beat.

  
Zack was so happy he could go jumping around the building. Yet at the same time, it sounded so bad. If Zack was going to become a 1st class, that meant Eloise wasn't far from becoming 2nd and he wasn't sure eithe rof them were ready for the upcoming responsabilities.

"Don't make me regret this, Zack. Once you're packed, you'll leave at once." Angeal left right after that.

  
However, Lazard had a few more things to discuss with Zack.

"I will be joining you as well but-" Zack saluted and got ready to leave when Lazard added, "Zack. Don't tell Eloise anything until we find out what happened for sure. Your dream is to become 1st, right?"

"No. To become a hero."

  
Lazard chuckled bemusedly.

"Good. Unattainable dreams are the best kind." Lazard joked before turning serious again, "Don't forget. Keep it a secret from Eloise for now."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The mission in Wutai proved very beneficial. Zack had the chance to fight and have some action. What went wrong was the whole Genesis situation. He couldn't believe what happened overall. The Wutai troops proved to be Shinra ex SOLDIERS and he got attacked by a summoned creature. Out of anyone in the world, Sephiroth helped him with it.

Sephiroth knew more than he let out. The troops were copies of Genesis and the 1st class SOLDIER seemed alright with it,  as if he was expecting it. Zack couldn't believe his eyes. 

"Where is Angeal?" Sephiroth asked at some point, staring around him coldly.

  
Under that intense gaze, Zack took a few steps back. Eloise was right, he was intimidated by Sephiroth.

"I thought he was fighting around here...?"

"So he's gone, too."

  
Zack gulped and rubbed his forehead.

"What does that mean?"

  
Sephiroth sighed. He didn't expect that from Angeal yet it happened.

"It means Angeal has betrayed us as well."

Zack's eyes widened.

"No way! I know what kind of man Angeal is. He'd never do that! Angeal wouldn't betray us! Never!" Sephiroth stared at the Fair puppy as Zack realized something even worse,"What about Eloise? She won't take this well."

  
Sephiroth glared at the younger man before he scoffed.

"I will deal with Eloise." 


	24. 24

When they got back, Zack went straight into the lounge without looking twice around. He was scared to meet his sister because he didn't know if he could mask his expressions in front of her. While walking upstairs, towards his room, he saw her walk from across the hall and tensed. Fortunately, his phone rang.

_"SOLDIER 2nd class, Zack?"_

He frowned, "That would be me. Who's this?"  
It sounded familiar yet not really.

_"_ _Director Lazard wants to see you. Go to the briefing room."_

"Wai-" The other side hung up. Zack took a deep breath and calmed his nerves.

Unfortunately, he met Eloise again at the elevator. She looked paler and skinnier than before and he was ready to ask her if she was alright when she stopped him.

"What did you find in Wutai?"She asked, going straight to business.

"W-what do you mean?" He stuttered, which was a very bad sign.

Eloise threw him a cold look before she scowled.

"There's been a mass desertion in the 3rd class SOLDIER. You, Angeal and Sephiroth left to investigate. You and Sephiroth returned but Angeal didn't." She caught on pretty fast. "I asked Sephiroth and he ignored me."

"It's nothing. We've been attacked and lost Angeal. He will be back soon." Zack answered yet it was so vague that she probably didn't really buy it.

The elevator arrived on their level and Zack got in quickly. She didn't enter but only  watched her brother with cold eyes.

"I'm sure he will." She responded, venom dripping from her tone.

Zack felt a chill go down his spine. He didn't know if it was her energy or her eyes, which looked so empty. Actually, for a month already, Eloise has taken a lot of Sephiroth's traits. 

* * *

"Any word on Angeal?"

Lazard didn't look happy at all. Zack had high hopes for his mentor and would never truly believe that Angeal could turn his back on the company, moreover on him. Besides, Genesis was under suspection of deserting as well and it was going to be hard on the company. 

"He hasn't contacted his family either."Lazard added with a grim look.

Zack gave up. He had to ask for answers but he didn't want them from Lazard. He had to meet Angeal and talk to him in person.

"What's this about?" Zack asked once the desktop turned on.

Lazard glanced at his subordinate and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He had to deal with Zack, which was easy but he didn't want to know how Eloise will react later on. She was nothing like her brother and she spent too much time around Sephiroth.

"I have a new assignment for you. I want you to go to the hometown of our missing SOLDIER 1st class, Genesis. According to the parents, they've had no contact with Genesis whatsoever. But, they can't be trusted."

"Why?"

Lazard glanced over his shoulder.

"For the same reason I don't trust Eloise with this matter. They want to protect him. They are his parents."

Zack flinched, "So that's why you don't want to tell my sister about Genesis. But she knows something happened. She's not stupid."

Lazard chuckled and leaned back against his chair.

"I know. But that is not your problem. You have an assignment right now. If you want Eloise to be safe, you have to obtain information."

"Alright."

"I had already dispatched some staff but we've lost contact. I want you to go and investigate. He will go with you,"

A turk entered the room as soon as Lazard mentioned him. The elder turk looked stern and imposing; he was the definition of a perfect turk. 

Zack went to get his things ready and get his sword before he met Tseng in the lounge, 30 minutes later. It took him more than he expected because he sneaked around like he was a thief.

"It took you a while. Are you ready to go?"

Zack nodded and started to pace around.

"It should be easy right? Routine job."

Tseng didn't look very pleased.

"Originally, Sephiroth was assigned to this mission. That means it's a top priority matter." Tseng started, "He is refusing to go, apparently." Tseng added once he noticed Zack's expression.

"They spoil him too much," The younger SOLDIER mumbled.

Tseng raised an eyebrow bemusedly, "Why don't you say that to his face?"

Zack frowned and surrendered. Sephiroth had a specific personality that made people around him feel intimidated. His cold eyes would stare into his soul and he would actually feel his body freeze. The Fair puppy was surprised how Eloise could act around him so comfortably when he didn't seem to act differently around her.

* * *

On the way to Genesis' house, Zack started to think why exactly Sephiroth avoided the mission. They were friends before and he was certain Sephiroth liked Genesis to some level.

"Maybe it's because of Eloise." He mumbled.

It was so complicated. Tseng glanced at his friend over his shoulder and stared at him for a moment.

"Sephiroth protects Eloise a lot, doesn't he?"

Zack nodded. Sephiroth was for Eloise exactly what Angeal was for him.

* * *

While Zack was entering the fields of Banora, Eloise was stuck in the company. Her comrades went to Wutai for an infiltration and she remained all alone. A lot of teams deserted earlier that week and a lot of teams died in Wutai. The 3rd class lounge was quite empty.

Surprisingly, Lazard found her walking aimlessly around the building. She didn't have training, didn't have missions and didn't have anything better to do. Her mind was swirling with thoughts about Genesis and Angeal and just wanted everything to stop and be like before. She stopped numerous times in front of the elevator and waited but no one came; not anymore.

"You look heartbroken."

She didn't even glance at him. He was the director of SOLDIER and he could get her killed in a second yet she didn't even bother to show respect.

"Should I be heartbroken?" Eloise asked, not an ounce of emotion in her voice, "You're hiding something from me. All of you are. Do you think I don't notice? Angeal didn't return from Wutai, Genesis disappeared and more than half of the 3rd class SOLDIERs deserted."

Lazard raised an eyebrow and walked in front of her. She had to vent her anger and energy on something but he didn't want to exploit her too much.

"Indeed. I'm not telling you anything because it doesn't matter, actually. He's not coming back, Eloise. That fact won't change and you know it. You knew from the beginning." 

"Everything will change, won't it?" She asked, tilting her head to the side with a blank expression. "It will get very bad."

Lazard sighed but agreed silently. He knew exactly what she was implying.

After her small conversation with the director, Eloise went into the simulation room. No one was using it lately so she easily changed it into Sector 8. She closed her eyes and entered the street she first saw the wolf in, trailing her hands on the walls while walking forward.

"Be careful what eyes you believe in, Eloise." She whispered to herself, remembering that dream.

A month was a long time. Genesis was not going to return as if he had never left and she was aware of that.

"Eyes can be deceiving." She added, feeling electricity run down into her fingers. 

_Open your eyes._

Eloise stopped at the breathy encouragement and glanced around but no one was there. She decided she was going crazy with stress but she heard it again,

_Dark eyes. Evil eyes. Cold eyes. Empty eyes._

She decided to change the simulation. It was too creepy. She tried to exit the room and go upstairs where the control machine was but she couldn't move. Eloise frowned while squirming to break free, feeling her legs getting numb and the electricity crawling up her spine.

_Dark eyes. Evil eyes. Cold eyes. Empty eyes._

That voice started to enchant. The echo was resonating throughout the surroundings as if she was actually in an empty studio. She felt a chill go down her spine and suddenly started to tremble.

_Open your eyes. Open your eyes Eloise! Open them! OPEN YOUR EYES!_

She did. The surroundings were the same but there was someone there. Sephiroth was glaring at her with cold eyes.

"Let me go." He ordered her coldly.

Eloise raised an eyebrow, confused what he was even talking about. At a closer look, she noticed a shining, very thin, wire wrapped around him. He couldn't move and couldn't get it off, only getting tighter. The wire was coming from her hands, as she realized trailing it with her eyes. One sway and the wire retreated into her palms.

"What happened?" Eloise asked, leaning against the wall.

Sephiroth rubbed his wrists before walking closer to his pupil.

"You attacked me," Sephiroth started, getting intimidating as he was getting closer to her. "Your eyes, they were staring through me and once I took a step closer, you caught me."He leaned in and stared deeply into her orbs. "Your eyes look exactly like mine." He noted.

Eloise frowned and covered her eyes with her hands. That happened before and it took a lot of self control and happy thoughts to change them back. 

Unfortunately, her happiness consumed rather quickly.

"Are you alright, Eloise? You don't have to worry about Genesis or Angeal. They will be safe. On the other hand, you won't."  
  


* * *

After she fought her mentor in a subconscious state, they moved to the lounge. That place became empty. Not many soldiers had time to relax anymore. They were outnumbered on the battlefield and their number only decreased rapidly in the company.

"My body is reacting according to my emotions. It was hard enough to control myself before but now I can't. I don't even bother to do it."

She was hurt, that much was obvious, but against what Sephiroth thought, she wasn't hurt because of Genesis. Maybe she was disappointed but that didn't mean her feelings towards him changed.

"Why is the color of your eyes the same as mine?" She bit her lower lip and fidgeted even more under his sight. "You know, don't you? You've been hiding a lot from me." His tone sent a chill down her spine. 

"I've been genetically modified. My body needed new cells for it to accept mako. They implanted new cells that eventually multiplied. That's why my eyes look like yours; they gave me your cells."

Sephiroth's eyes widened, not expecting that explanation. She didn't even tell him everything but she noticed how much she became like him. It was probably because of the cells but at the same time, she knew there was something more. He knew that too. That was the reason why he pushed his assignment onto Zack. He wanted to find answers.

"It's time for us to understand why it's gotten to this point. I will go research." He got up and walked towards the door.

She only blinked sheepishly.

"They won't tell you anything. They never do."

Sephiroth smirked, "I'm not going to ask them."

She chuckled and watched him leave quietly. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes feeling so tired.

* * *

On the other side, Zack finally returned to the headquarters. His heart was broken after finding out more than he could carry. His mentor, whom he learned so much from about courage and honor, turned his back to him. But worse was Genesis. He was manipulating and handling the whole process from the shadows. He became the bad guy and that thought alone was terrifying.

Thinking about the redhead, Zacj ruffled his hair and groaned loudly.

"What am I going to tell Eloise?" 

He entered the lounge without checking twice and jumped when he saw his sister sleeping on the couch. Zack frowned and bent next to her. Her face didn't look peaceful at all: she had wrinkles and her face looked thin; she was losing weight incredibly fast. Her eyes opened unexpectedly and scared the heck out of Zack. His heart had its own limits.

"You're back. How did it go?"

Zack gulped and sat beside her. He didn't know how to begin and from where but he had to tell her. She needed to know.

"I met them. Angeal killed his mother. Genesis killed his parents and destroyed the whole village. They're not coming back, Eloise. They are our enemies now." She blinked and listened carefully as he continued. "Genesis said a lot of things that I didn't understand..."

It was still very clear and fresh in his memory.

_"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess. We seek it thus and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest."_

_Genesis recited from his famous poetry book. He was seating calmly on the floor, waiting. He looked smug and confident which wasn't new but it was different this time. Zack didn't like how evil those traits became._

_"_ _Settle down, Zack the puppy."_

_His behavior certainly didn't change. It just evolved into something uncontrollable._

_Tseng felt the need to interfere so he also entered the building and ran in front of Zack when he noticed the mako container. It had a copy inside. The turk identified the remnants from the grave. Their people were buried there and so were his parents bit Genesis wasn't affected by that. Actually, his reaction was really different from what Zack expected._

_"_ _My parents betrayed me. They had always betrayed me, from the very beginning." The redhead started. "What do you know? Shinra lapdogs!" He scowled, forming a ball of energy and throwing it at Tseng. It hit him in the chest and sent him against the container. Zack took a step back and reached for his sword._

_However, someone else interfered._

_"_ _Angeal,"_

_The older man walked in front of Zack, protectively. Or that was what Zack wanted to believe._

_"_ _Welcome partner." Genesis started, making Zack very confused._

_Angeal raised his sword in a defensive state in front of his friend. Genesis didn't look happy._

_"I see. So you've finally made your decision. I'll respect your wishes, old friend. However," He walked forward, stopping when he passed by Angeal before continuing his sentence. "Can you really live on that side?"_

_Zack got even more confused._

_Another memory that was still fresh was his conversation with Genesis._

_"_ _Summons aren't meant to be used like this!"_

_Zack just ended a fight with a summoned creature that Genesis was using as toys._

_"What happened to dreams and honor!" The Fair puppy shouted angrily._

_Genesis scoffed._

_"_ _We are monsters." He proved that to the puppy by showing him his black wing. "We have neither dreams or honor." He mumbled taking one glance over his shoulder at Zack before rising to the sky._

_Genesis flew away, out of Zack's reach. It looked like a black spot on the sky. That definitely left an impression on the young SOLDIER._

* * *

Eloise listened closely to what he brother said. Her mind was moving very fast and was remembering the conversations they had before. She understood Genesis. Lazard was right. She knew the outcome was going to be like this but it was still very sudden. Was Genesis so fed up with Shinra? What about her?

"I didn't expect a black wing to appear on his back. I was so shocked. On the way back I wandered for how long he kept that a secret."

Eloise's eyes widened. It was hard to understand everything Genesis was doing and implying from Zack's point of view because he didn't know. Zack was thinking that she improved so fast because she was talented but that wasn't the case. Eloise was a part of a project and wasn't even human anymore. _She_ wasn't human.

"Monsters. Are they even real? A black winged angel is not a monster." Eloise grumbled.

Zack didn't understand her but he knew that what she was saying was making more sense than what Genesis said. He wasn't a monster, he didn't look like a monster either.

But Eloise was not thinking only about Genesis. She was comparing the redhead to herself.

"He's not the monster. I am." She mumbled fidgeting nervously.


	25. 25

Days went by, months went by and in no time a year ended. The war ended as well and let the company at loss. The majority died in the war while a quarter left with Genesis. The soldiers left in Shinra were lucky enough to have survived the war and survive Genesis' wrath.

Zack was disappointed for the whole year. He hoped that Angeal would return and act like nothing ever happened. He wanted that but it didn't happen.  
Throughout the year, he witnessed his sister becoming less and less sociable. She would spend her entire free time in the simulation room or with Sephiroth. Zack was genuinely worried. He didn't know what was going on between the two but he saw a lot of new wounds on her body. They were probably training but the level was too high for her. She was still a 3rd class SOLDIER and above all, she was still his younger sister.

His phone rang right when he was ready to go and question his sister.

"Zack here,"

 _"_ _It's been a while, Zack."_  It was a surprise hearing his voice.

"Sephiroth!?"

Zack finally had the chance to ask him what was going on with Eloise and their training sessions. It was the least he could do as her mentor.

 _"_ _Come to Lazard's room."_  Sephiroth ordered before hanging up.

* * *

When Zack arrived, he was disappointed to be informed that Lazard had another assignment for him. It had nothing to do with Eloise but it had everything to do with Genesis. Sephiroth didn't say much but he was going to accompany Zack.

Zack intended to corner Sephiroth and demand answers about Eloise but that was impossible. He felt like a puppy in front of the eldest SOLDIER. Those eyes were staring down at him with such coldness that his voice cracked before he could mutter a whole word.

On a brighter note, Zack got promoted to SOLDIER 1st class. He didn't feel as happy as he imagined. His mentor was missing, most of his soldier friends died or deserted and something was going on with his sister. Zack wasn't feeling happy at all.

As the whole meeting was finally coming to an end, the alarms turned on signing that there was an intruder in the company. Lazard sent Sephiroth to protect their superior while Zack was sent to the entrance. The intruder was most likely Genesis. The alarms went off in the whole company, not only SOLDIER.

"What's happening?"

Eloise heard them too. She met Sephiroth on the way but he didn't seem to be in a hurry. He looked like he knew what was going on.

"Most probably Genesis." The grey haired man answered.

Sephiroth couldn't help but seize her up. She was getting thinner and her ability to heal granted to mako was decreasing rapidly.

"Your body is degrading, isn't it?" Sephiroth asked out of nowhere. Her eyes widened a bit but covered it up by looking to the side.

"It's nothing," 

"Go see Professor Hojo, Eloise. You don't need to get involved into this matter." He started, sounding a bit worried unlike his usual rough self.

"That's the problem. I am already involved. I've been involved from the moment I fell for him!" She stopped and registered what she said. Sephiroth's eyes gained a mischievous glint and she was sure he was never going to ignore that. "Let's just ig-"

He left. Eloise swallowed nervously and watched her mentor get further away. She had to learn how to think before speaking and not the other way around.

But what Sephiroth stated was true. She had noticed it for a while now. Her body condition was getting worse, she became weaker in form and that brought numerous new wounds in training. That was another problem, actually. Her skin would easily scratch from anything. Eloise was degrading. She was going through the same process as Genesis and Angeal and that was confusing. They weren't part of the same project.

That was the main reason why she ended up in the lab. She sighed heavily when she arrived there, already tired when she didn't do anything but walk.

"So you came to me for help, huh?"

Hojo was a weird old man and he did a lot of bad things in his life. It was written all over his face.

"Something's going on with me. My body became weak." She mumbled while fidgeting.

Hojo chuckled and told her to sit on the table. 

Walking inside was strange because every time she entered the lab she had Genesis near. Now, she was all alone.

"What you are experiencing is not degradation, Eloise. No, it's something better. You're evolving." She narrowed her eyes at the scientist. He was talking bullshit. That was impossible. "Like I had told you before, you are part of Jenova Project. Your body has both Jenova cells and mako energy. You're growing so you're body needs help evolving as well. The cells are multiplying but your body is fighting them. You need blood from the source." He explained, sounding incredibly pleased.

"Who is the source?"

"Sephiroth," He responded quickly, "Your eyes look exactly like his and you will soon experience changes in behavior. You will become more and more like him." 

"Your experiment is going so well, isn't it?" She was sarcastic.

He was never going to realize how much it hurt. Hojo was looking at her as if she was an object, only good to be used and then gotten rid of. Eloise hopped off the table and walked towards the door. She didn't even reach it when she started to feel dizzy.

"You won't be able to do anything until the process is over. Listen to me, do not fight. Your body can't take it."

"But if Sephiroth gives me blood, then it will be better. Just like I gave blood to Genesis." She hissed but the scientist scoffed.

"My experiments are nothing like Hollander's. You do not know the difference between you and him."

That was the problem. Eloise knew exactly what the difference was. Genesis was a victim while she signed up for being a monster. She did that when she entered SOLDIER.

* * *

On the way to her room, she felt helpless. She was walking but somehow she knew she wasn't going to make it to a certain destination. That was her life; walking aimlessly to achieve nothing. She had a purpose in the beginning but everything changed. The happy days of being a newbie seemed so far now. It was as if they never happened in the first place or it was all a dream. Eloise was a strong girl but in the end, she was only a girl. She fell in love with the most insufferable man she could have the misfortune to meet and he left her. Her mentor and example in life turned out to be the Jenova child. The kindest man she had the honor to meet deserted along his best friend. There seemed to be so many secrets and all of them only led to loss.

"Eloise," She glanced to the side and saw her boss. Lazard was patrolling when he noticed her. "You're crying. It's not only because of Genesis, is it?" He asked curiously.

She didn't respond. Lazard knew everything that was happening in the Shinra Company and he knew what was happening inside those laboratories. He wasn't a stranger to experiments. But Eloise was different. She wasn't an experiment, she was a collateral victim. She just appeared at the wrong time in front of the wrong person. It was a pity.

"I am a monster." She whispered, "I became a killing machine. I will never be a hero." 

"Where did that happy and persuasive girl go? You used to be an example for everyone, Eloise. You changed." 

The girl chuckled. It sounded cold and lifeless.

"Was she ever there? It doesn't seem so to me. She was probably in a cocoon state." She was overreacting and dramatizing her situation. Eloise needed comfort and Lazard wasn't renowned for that.

"Go into your room and sleep. I'm not going to involve you in this matter."

She turned to him and stared deeply into his eyes, his last sentence echoing in her mind. Her pale blue eyes became turquoise and their shape changed. Eloise came to look a lot like Sephiroth and her eyes were giving the same allure as his. 

"I want to be involved into this matter. I don't want him to be killed."

"That's not your decision to make. I already assigned Zack and Sephiroth to find and kill Genesis and his cohorts. That means Angeal too."

She glared at him. It actually looked quite scary, even for him but he had to remember that she was still a kid. She was young and reckless and they had to keep her under control.

"It's just like in his book. Two friends went together and they left the third one all alone. They all die, in the end. They all die because they split instead of staying united." Eloise explained, speaking as if she was in a daze.

Lazard watched as she walked towards the elevator with a poker face while still murmuring to herself. It was worrying because she was probably right.


	26. 26

While Eloise was being held back by her own body condition, Zack had to patrol around Sector 8. It looked quite different from two years ago when Eloise had to retrieve that red crystal. It was brand new and very populated. He really wanted her to see that. What was once isolated and dirty became quite luxurious.

The SOLDIER met a few new turks there, like Cissnei. She was a young girl with a lot of courage and will to fight, surprisingly strong for how small she was. It brought a wide smile on Zack's face. That was how his sister was once: energetic and joyful. Reno and Rude were on an assignment too since Sector 8 became turks jurisdiction.

"How's Eloise? Haven't talked to her in a while. Is she alright?" Reno asked, genuinely curious.

Zack could see in his eyes, he was a nice guy and he would have prefered him instead of Genesis. Unfortunately, it seemed Eloise had an attraction for complicated men.

"She is fine."

An exemplary answer that could pass as a believable lie. But Reno didn't seem fooled. The redhead turk was ready to question that answer when Tseng interrupted and told them to move on and do their jobs.

Zack had the opportunity to see Cissnei in action. He was surprised by her fighting abilities. She was good and reminded him a lot of the old times when he and Eloise would spare in the backyard.

Later, he got a phone call from Sephiroth. Surprisingly, the cold man wanted to fail to eliminate Genesis and Angeal. That was good news. From there, Zack ran to Mako Reactor 5 with new found optimism. Sephiroth was waiting for him there. He even started to tell him a little story that coincidentally was also the day Genesis dragged Eloise in the simulation room on her second day as a SOLDIER.

 _"What is she doing here, Genesis?"_  
  
So that was his name. The redhead let her arm go and she massaged it slowly. He held onto her tightly in case she wanted to run. 

_However, Genesis smirked wickedly and walked towards Sephiroth._

_"I heard she is your new protegee. Isn't that interesting?" He said, tilting his head to the side, his eyes tinkling._  
  
Sephiroth didn't look amused at all. His eyes traveled to Eloise and she froze. Probably it wasn't a good idea to tell Genesis about that but she felt like she needed to, at that time.

 _"That doesn't have anything to do with you. But yes, she is." He responded coldly, sending a shiver down her spine._  
  
Eloise glanced at Angeal who seemed to keep his eyes fixed on her.  The atmosphere was so intense that she could see the electricity coming from their bodies.

 _"Did you see her fighting before, Sephiroth?" Genesis asked, grabbing her and pushing her forward._  
  
Eloise gulped and looked down at her fidgeting hands. She might have been in the most embarrassing moment of her life and she wanted to run and hide for the rest of the week.  
  
But Genesis had other plans.  
  
"Let's see that now. Let's see just what is so interesting at this little newbie." He glanced at her and smirked.  
  
"That's not-" Angeal stopped when he saw Sephiroth take a few steps forward.   
  
With a heavy sigh, Angeal got out a phone from his pocket and pushed a few buttons. The room changed gradually. It looked like they were somewhere on a conduct from the mako reactors. Eloise ran towards Angeal and stoo next to him, gaping at the scenery. 

 _"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek thus, and take to the sky." Genesis started sitting on top of a large crate._  
  
Angeal was next to him, leaning against the same crate while Sephiroth was standing at the edge of the large cannon that all of them were on. Eloise was on the other side of Angeal feeling uncomfortable.

_Genesis started to read out loud from the same red book as before. When Sephiroth heard that first line he smiled or at least, it looked like his lips curved upwards. He turned around and walked over to the rest._

_"Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest." Genesis continued._  
  
Sephiroth walked closer and stopped when he reached the three SOLDIERs.

 _"LOVELESS, Act 1."_  
  
Eloise raised an eyebrow curiously. Genesis must have read it to them a lot if Sephiroth knew exactly what act is was.

_Genesis smiled. He closed the book and put it back in his pocket._

_"You remembered." He jumped down from the crate and stared intensely at Sephiroth._

_"How can I not when you've beaten it into my head?" Sephiroth tapped his head with his finger twice, indicating just how annoying must have been. Suddenly, he grabbed his sword and held it to his side._  
  
Eloise was curious what was going to happen next. It looked like there was going to be a fight and she wasn't prepared to face such strong opponents just yet.

_Genesis held his sword up in front of his face with the same mischievous glint in his eyes. Angeal got on his feet as well and grabbed his sword but Eloise didn't know what to do. She didn't have a sword, in the first place._

_"Don't take Sephiroth lightly," Angeal warned Genesis._  
  
From Eloise's point of view, it already looked really bad. Genesis brought his sword down quickly and scoffed.

_"Hmph, noted."_

_They both charged at Sephiroth. Eloise was perplexed by the whole sudden situation. Angeal got to him first and brought his sword down on him but Sephiroth pushed Angeal away and did the same with Genesis, but pushed him in the opposite direction._

_Genesis recovered first and they clashed swords together then Sephiroth turned around and did the same with Angeal. He swung around in a circle and they both jumped back. Sephiroth stood in the middle glaring at both of them. Suddenly the whole fight became serious._

_"Aren't you going to enter the fight, puppy?" Genesis taunted her._  
  
She blinked rapidly and and didn't know what to do. "I don't have a sword."  
  
That wasn't a good reason for Genesis and he threw her a look that pretty much offended her. Eloise's eyes traveled quickly over the whole surface and caught glance of a rod. It wasn't as good as a sword but at least it was something.

_She tried to attack Sephiroth but unfortunately, he pushed her away rather easily. She had her own pride to fight for but he was really strong too. Genesis stood aside, watching her with bemused eyes. He was judging her every move, noting every bad move she took._

_Eloise charged again and again and their weapons clenched against each other. She narrowed her eyes, hoping it would help somehow but Sephiroth was too strong.  From the side, Genesis was on the verge of laughing at her and it pissed her off. That was one cocky behavior SOLDIERS had and her pride was crumbling at her feet. She wanted respect, she was craving for it, and therefore she was going to fight for it._

_The girl charged again and Sephiroth pushed her with ease. She barely blocked his attack and kicked him but he could read her and foresee her next move. Sephiroth turned around and swiped his sword quickly at her, taking her by surprise before he pushed her one more time, sending her stumbling back._

_Suddenly both Genesis and Angeal swiped their swords at him. Sephiroth held his swords up-and-down to block both of their attacks at the same time. He pushed them back and they stumbled but recovered quickly. Genesis and Sephiroth attacked each other and Angeal jumped in the middle. He brought his sword down to break them up but Genesis jumped over Angeal and spun in a circle. Sephiroth pushed him back, behind Angeal while Angeal charged at Sephiroth and they locked swords._

_"Ha! Is that the best you can do?" Sephiroth grinned and pushed Angeal back._  
  
Eloise didn't really know what was going on. She took a few steps back and watched with wide eyes as the friendly fight just became more serious.

 _"All hail Sephiroth, eh?"_  
  
Angeal smiled but Genesis wasn't playing around. She could see the hatred in his eyes; she wasn't even close to him but she could see it emitting from his body.

_"Angeal, stay back." Genesis held out his arm in front of Angeal and lowered his head. "I'll take Sephiroth alone."_

_"Is he insane?" Eloise asked, running next to Angeal._

_"Genesis…" The dark haired SOLDIER muttered._

_Genesis held up his sword and ran his hand over it, flames leaping from his red sword. "The world needs a new hero."_  
  
Was that what that fight was for? WAs that why Genesis' whole demeanor changed?

 _Sephiroth only scoffed, looking down on his friend, "Hmph, come and try."_  
  
Genesis lowered his sword, his expression resembling one of an angry fox. "So smug. But for how long?"

_The redhead charged at him and brought his sword down but Sephiroth just jumped back and swung his sword at Genesis's head. He ducked and brought his sword down on Sephiroth's head but he held his sword up. The cannon gave away a little and Sephiroth sunk into it about an inch. Sephiroth grinned and Genesis laughed. Genesis did a back flip then ran at Sephiroth again. They clashed swords together multiple times until Sephiroth sent him sliding backwards. Genesis ran back at him; he was very persistent._

_Sephiroth brought his sword under Genesis's and flung him into the air before he jumped after him and they clashed swords again. Genesis was slowly starting to lose focus and lose his guard; he nervously blocked Sephiroth's next attacks. Sephiroth pushed him down and Genesis went hurtling back down to the ground. He growled and his hand started to glow yellow. That was something Eloise had never seen before, at anyone. The flames leaped from his hands and he threw ten fireballs at Sephiroth but he dodged them all. Genesis threw more fireballs at him but he cut through them all. The redhead threw more and more fireballs and Sephiroth got covered in fire._

_Genesis growled louder and started to form a giant fireball. Fortunately, Angeal intervened and grabbed his arm._

_"Stop! You'll destroy us all!" Genesis grabbed his face._

_Eloise's eyes widened and she took a step back, afraid. She could feel her blood boiling inside her and her hands started to tremble. That was no good; the fireworks were coming and she wasn't prepared to share that bit about her with everyone. She tried to control her shaking hands and even her heart beat but the sight wasn't helping._

_"That's no way to talk to a hero!" Genesis screamed and blasted fire into Angeal's face, throwing him away._

_The redhead watched him fall before he looked back up, in time to see a flash of blue light come flying his way. He cut it in half and Sephiroth sent three more. He cut those in half as well. One of the flashes of light hit the cannon and cut it in half. Genesis ran out of air and landed on the ground followed by an explosion of fire. He jumped back just in time to dodge it. Sephiroth landed on the half of the cannon that was slowly falling. Once he disappeared there was an explosion at the tip of the cannon and Sephiroth lunged at Genesis who barely blocked his quick attacks. Sephiroth was now frustrated and started to cut the cannon into pieces._

_Eloise couldn't move. She was beyond shocked. What was going through his head?!_

_The pieces fell into the water below. They locked swords and Sephiroth pushed Genesis back. Genesis bounced on the cannon twice until he finally landed onto his feet and slid to a stop. Sephiroth jumped after him. He held his sword back and Genesis ran his hand over his sword, creating more flames. They clashed swords together, making an explosion of light. Sephiroth pushed Genesis back before he brought his sword back and they charged at each other._

_Eloise was struggling. The whole scenery was falling apart and her mentor was fighting like crazy with that annoying redhead. The adrenaline of only watching them fight was huge. She could feel the anger and annoyance in the air. The fireworks were invading her whole body, she was shaking and her irises dilated. She blinked a few times, feeling the electricity running through her orbs._

_Angeal jumped in-between the two SOLDIERs._

_"Enough!"_  
  
Genesis's sword hit Angeal's training sword and Sephiroth's sword hit the grip of Angeal's Buster Sword. He grunted at the impact and glared back at Sephiroth.

_In utter silence, Eloise walked closer to them. Sephiroth glanced at her, his eyes softening up. That wasn't how he wanted to start their mentor-protegee relationship._

_Genesis growled. "Out of my way!"_  
  
Blue flames leaped from Genesis's left hand as he tried to punch Angeal. He missed and punched Angeal's sword instead, breaking it, one of the pieces cutting into his shoulder. Genesis cried out in pain and stumbled back. He fell down to his knees and grabbed his shoulder in pain.

 _"Genesis!" Angeal stood up and stared at him with a scared expression._  
  
The scene digitally melted away and red lights flashed all around. Genesis was still trying to catch his breath.

 _"Just a scrape." He mumbled. "I'll be fine, don't worry." He picked up his sword but was still swaying from side to side._  
  
Eloise, Angeal and Sephiroth watched him walk to the door. He glanced at her over his shoulder and cringed. That wasn't exactly what he had in mind, either. She wasn't supposed to witness the rage between two SOLDIERs.

_"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return." He quoted, ready to go and lie down for a while._

"So, was everything alright?" Zack became intrigued. He was truly surprised that Eloise witnessed that fight. She never told him about that day. Actually, she didn't tell him a lot.

"Yes, as far as Genesis was concerned. But, as for Angeal,"

"Angeal? What happened?"  
Sephiroth chuckled bemusedly, recalling some extraordinary times when he had a lot of fun and when he had people he could call friends; when things weren't complicated and when they were a team.

"Later, I received one of his famous lectures."

"About what?" Zack asked curiously.

"Always the same. Discipline, dreams, honor, et cetera."  
Zack laughed thinking that even the great SOLDIER got one of those. At the same time, he felt melancholic. He missed those lectures.

They walked around for a little more, each remembering their own bright memories. It was a good way to loosen up all the stress until they discovered a small laboratory at the lowest level. It was Hollander's. Angeal and Genesis were in the same league as the old scientist. Hollander was a messy man so they easily found information about Project G.

"Wait. Hollander was also in charge of Eloise's treatment. Is it possible-" Zack's mind was swirling with bad thoughts.  
Sephiroth watched the younger soldier with knowing eyes. Zack didn't know anything about Eloise anymore.

"You said that Genesis showed clear signs of change. He started to degrade. I saw his wing. Now, there are copies of him. Does that mean Angeal-" Zack got interrupted by Hollander. Was that what Sephiroth was aiming for?

"The degradation process. Only I can stop it." The scientist admitted smugly. He was protected by Genesis himself after all.

Sephiorth narrowed his eyes at the redhead that came to help his maker before he sent Zack after Hollander.

Now that he was all alone with Genesis, he could talk freely.

"There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of the dawn. Healer of worlds." Genesis quoted.

"Loveless again? You never change." Sephiroth spoke just as coldly as always.

"Three friends go into battle. One is captured and one flies away. The one that is left becomes a hero."

Sephiroth shook his head and turned to his old friend.

"That is a common story."   
It was more for Genesis. Sephiroth never understood just how much it meant.

"If we were to enact it, would I be the one to play the hero, or would you?"

Sephiroth's response was short but not satisfactory.

"It's all yours."

"Indeed. After all, your glory should have been mine."

"How petty," For Sephiroth, it was nothing but for Genesis, it was everything.

"In hindsight, perhaps. Now, what I want most is the gift of the goddess."

Sephiroth glared at Genesis. The intensity of his stare was high but Genesis didn't even flinch under it.

"What about Eloise?"The grey haired man asked.

That was definitely a sensible subject. It was more difficult to talk about Eloise than about his mission. Genesis shifted and started to pace around.

"What about her?" The grey-haired man scoffed at that answer. "She has no role into my mission."

"No. Not yours."

Genesis narrowed his eyes at the SOLDIER. He found that quite insulting for some reason.

"You found her interesting. You toyed with her but in the end she had you wrapped around her finger. She is your weakness, isn't she?" Sephiroth added, fully aware he was right.

"Do not get Eloise involved!" It was funny. Genesis could keep his calm about absolutely anything, except her. "I left her for a reason."

"Of course you did. You cared for her and that triggered guilt. Every time you think about her, you feel it: regret." Like always, Sephiroth knew everything. He was flawless; the heroic example. Genesis hated that.

"Do not get Eloise involved." The redhead hissed.

It was the night of revelations. Genesis and Sephiroth had their own little conversation and Zack also found out the answers he has been looking for.

While following Hollander, he questioned his reasons for going against Shinra and that triggered information that Zack wasn't ready to know.

"Hollander, do you understand what you're doing?"

The scientist was very aware of his position. If he wanted to, he could break Zack. But he didn't want that; not yet.

Unfortunately, Zack did meet Angeal but not under the circumstances he wanted to.

"Working for Hollander now? What is it you're after?"

"World domination." Angeal said that with a serious face and it wasn't even funny. "How about revenge?"

"For what?"

For the second time in his life, Zack got to see a one winged man. The shock wasn't as significant since he had seen Genesis do that. However, Angeal's wing was white and was on the right side. It was like the two wings could make a whole. The two friends had a deep bound.

"I've become a monster," Zack heard that before. "A monster's objective is usually world domination or revenge."

Angeal didn't have a certain purpose but was led on by his friend. That wasn't right. Zack remembered what Eloise said: wings weren't the sign of a monster.

"You're wrong. Those aren't wings of a monster."

"Well then, what are they?"

"Angel's wings."

Unlike Genesis whose wing was black like a demon's, Angeal's was pure white. He was an honorable man and it just seemed to fit his image.

"I see. Then what should an angel fight for, Zack?" The superior and authoritative tone he had was strange. "What do angels dream of?"

Zack was speechless. He had never seen his mentor so helpless before. Angeal plunged his buster sword into the ground and walked towards Zack. The younger SOLDIER took a few steps back.

"Angels dream of one thing: to be human." With that stated, the mentor punched his student in the chest.

Zack was sent a few feet away. He wanted to fight back but he couldn't. It was Angeal. That only angered the one winged angel.

"Defend yourself!"

Zack smiled and shook his head. Angeal shot energy at his pupil and destroyed the metallic nets he was sitting on, the brown haired SOLDIER falling into the darkness.


	27. 27

Eloise woke up from her sleep with a jolt. She was huffing and shivering. Something happened to Zack; she could feel it. She got out of bed and walked out. She just reached the elevator when she dropped against the wall. Her head was pounding. Her heart started to beat faster and her vision became weird. She could see everything swirl and the elevator doors multiplied.

"Miss, are you alright?" She couldn't make out where the voice was coming from but felt someone wrap a hand around her waist and raise her. "You don't look well. Let me take you to the infirmary."

"Take me to the laboratory."

The infantry man nodded. It took a while until they got there. He had to carry her because she had no power to move. He was worried because she looked bad and there was no one around to help her.

In the end, Hojo had no choice but to place her into a mako tub. She was weak and her body was regenerating. Eloise needed time to replace her own cells with Jenova's. He needed blood for a transfusion. She wasn't going to make it without a little help so Hojo had to call for Sephiroth. He felt partially sad, in some unknown depth of his heart. He was changing her completely. Her DNA was going to be a replica of Sephiorth's and she wasn't going to be Zack's sister anymore; she was going to be Sephiroth's.

Meanwhile, Sephiroth returned to the company. Genesis copies infiltrated every corner of the building. It was loud and the soldiers were out fighting the enemies. One person wasn't there. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and barged inside her room. It was empty. She was either messing around or she was stupid enough to go after Genesis.

He was hurrying down the hall when he got attacked by a copy. He slashed it in a second. Angeal appeared with Zack out of nowhere. They got in through the window. They had to split. Genesis wanted to kill Hojo. That was bad news. Sephiroth didn't see it as a bad idea, though. Zack got assigned to protect the scientist.

Genesis got into the laboratory in record time. Hollander wanted Hojo dead but Genesis had a few questions first.

"Well, look who's here," The scrawny scientist was not scared. If anything, he was excited. Even with a sword at the back of his neck, he wasn't bothered. "Hollander sent you, correct? You think that if you obey Hollander, he'll stop your body from degrading, is that it? Pitiful, just pitiful I say." He smirked.

"Genesis," Zack got there just in time and Hojo was glad he could deliver the news to so many at once.

"A second-rate hack like Hollander couldn't cure a cold!"

Angeal entered the laboratory and stopped the fuss.

"Genesis, that's enough." The redhead glanced at his friend but didn't retract his sword.

"What do we have here?" Hojo was amused by the whole situation.

"My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess." Those lines were presenting the cruel reality.

"The entire cast of Hollander's freak show,"

Genesis was looking at Angeal when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. He hurried in front of the tub and took a closer look at the floating body.

"What have you done to her?!" He was ready to slash the scientist in two when Angeal stopped him. Hojo only chuckled bemusedly. 

"She wasn't Hollander's to begin with. She is my experiment. She is my weapon and she is evolving so well~"

Genesis was visibly mad. He left her for her own safety not to become worse.

"What are you talking about?" Zack asked, confused.

Genesis glanced to the tub. It was filled with mako energy. As Zack walked closer to it, he finally noticed who was inside,"Eloise! My sister is in there! Why?"

"She is part of an experiment. Hojo's experiment; project Jenova, isn't it?" Genesis was the only one who knew about her. He was there for her when it hurt and when she found out. "Eloise is just like us; a monster."

Zack shook his head quickly.

"No, no. She is my little sister. She is my stubborn, talkative, hardworking little sister!" Genesis watched the brunette with pity. "That can't be happening. She is normal. She is human."

Hojo started to laugh.

"Human? Nothing is human in her anymore. She is a treasure. Her body reacts perfectly to Jenova's cells. She is nothing but pure mako energy." Hojo glanced at the two and smirked. "Loveless is an ancient epic poem about a duel between two friends. I thought it might help my research but they haven't met their true potential yet."

Angeal frowned.

"How does the duel end?"

"Unknown. The last act is missing, and yet to be discovered." Hojo's words had two meanings. There was the poem but there was also his experiment. Angeal and Genesis were only one side of the coin. There was another side waiting to be awakened.

"There are various theories," He walked past the scientist and blew a hole into the wall. "The mysterious gift of the goddess. What is the meaning behind it? For us, at least." He glanced at the tub sadly and jumped through the hole he made. Angeal wrapped an arm around Zack's chest, stopping him, before he followed Genesis.

* * *

"How did it come to this, Elly? We promised we will become heroes together." Zack started sadly. She was sleeping deeply and couldn't hear him. "This is the first time in two years when you're able to sleep so peacefully. What will happen when you'll wake up?"

"Nothing."

Zack turned quickly and got ready to defend himself. It was Sephiroth. He walked next to the brunette SOLDIER and looked at her.

"Nothing will happen to her. I already let Hojo take a few blood samples. It will help her recover faster." He glanced at the shorter man. "She is not a monster, Zack." It didn't sound reassuring.

Zack left the laboratory but Sephiroth remained. He was intrigued. She needed blood because her body was fighting the new cells but Sephiroth was curious what was the final result going to be like.

* * *

Zack needed some normality in his life. Therefore, he went to visit Aerith. He just arrived when Tseng interrupted. He was needed in Modeoheim. The turk informed the SOLDIER that Aerith was not in the church anyway so he should hurry. Unfortunately, the mission began with a failure. The helicopter got attacked and crashed in the mountains. It was Zack, Tseng and two infantry men. For the first time in a long time, country boy Zack was the leader. It felt good.

"Yo! Don't fall too far behind!"

Tseng and an infantry man were very slow. It was hard for them to walk like that.

"At least someone's keeping up!" Zack was quite surprised of that second infantry man. He was probably a young boy with big dreams.

"Well, I'm a country boy too." The boy answered.

"From where?" Zack asked, growing excited.  

"Nibelheim," Zack laughed loudly. He found it funny and ironic at the same time. "What about you?"

"Me? Gongaga." It was Cloud's turn to laugh. "Hey! What's so funny about that? You know Gongaga?"

"No. But it's such a backwater name."

Zack's smile cracked.

"Ditto Nibelheim."

"Like you've been there," 

"I haven't, but there's a reactor there, right?" The boy nodded. "A mako reactor outside Midgar usually means-"

"-nothing else out there." They both said at the same time before they started to laugh together. It felt refreshing. After what happened recently, it was a nice feeling; laughing.

"Good news, Tseng! Me and-" Zack forgot to ask his name. The boy got his helmet off and showed his entire face to his superior.

"Cloud," He was so young. Zack remarked that immediately.

"Me and Cloud here are both backwater experts. Oh yeah!" His enthusiasm was building up unrealistically fast. Tseng shook his head. A happy Zack was definitely better than a sulking Zack.

"Good! Carry on then!" The turk was tired already.

* * *

They got to Modeoheim just in time. The elevator got to the highest level and Zack hurried to protect Hollander. However, Genesis looked different. His hair was whiter and he looked paler.

"The Jenova cells!" Genesis started angrily before attacking Zack.

While Zack blocked his attack, Hollander tried to run away. Fortunately, Cloud caught him. The scientist squirmed in his grasp and freed himself but he didn't make a run for the elevator. Instead, he hid behind Zack.

"But nobody knows where the Jenova cells are being kept! Not even Hojo knows. You'll never find it."

Genesis didn't seem affected by the unsatisfactory response.

"Then I shall willingly accept my fate. But I will take the world with me." Genesis said before he attacked Zack again.

Genesis was a strong opponent but Zack wasn't a sturdy SOLDIER either. He became a 1st class through a lot of effort and training. He was good enough to block Genesis. He thought about the times he had to fight his mentor. He had enough power and was fast enough to win. And he did. Genesis was in a weakened state, anyway.

"Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, Wings stripped away, the end is nigh" Even when he was unable to sit properly, he was still reciting Loveless. "Such is the fate of a monster"

"We're not monsters, do you hear me? We are SOLDIER! Where's your honor?" Genesis barely made it on his feet.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises. Nothing shall forestall my return" He backed off until he reached the railing. He was breathing heavily and his vision was getting blurry. "If this world seeks my destruction" He had enough power to fly and get on the railing. "-it goes with me" He let himself fall into nothingness. He disappeared into the darkness.

"Genesis" Zack could only feel pity. He wanted to understand him and Angeal but it was impossible. He hoped that his sister was not going to end like that. They were not monsters.

The next problem Zack had to face was Angeal himself. He lost it. He wanted to fight Zack. He was ashamed and he was looking for vengeance. Hollander showed up and unveiled the mystery. Project G was not about Genesis. Angeal's mother had been infused with Jenova cells. The initial came from her name, Gillian. Genesis was a failure. But Angeal, he was bred inside her body. He was her child. He was perfect. Only, he wasn't human. He was the perfect monster. His cells could absorb genetic traits and pass them onto others. Angeal called all the creatures with his DNA and created an abomination.

Even so, Zack couldn't look at him and see a monster. He only saw a suffering man. It wasn't his fault. He was a victim. Angeal didn't sign up for his fate. However, Zack had to defend him and the world. Angeal scratched his cheek and waited for him to fight back. He had no choice. He was angry. The man whom talked so passionately about honor ended up so pitifully.

The winner of the fight was the pupil. He became a great soldier while Angeal's condition worsened.

"Zack, you have my thanks," The brunette sighed and bent next to his mentor. "This is for you."

Zack's eyes widened. Angeal was giving him the buster sword. That only amplified the realization that he was indeed dying. His mentor, his example in life and career was going to fade away. Moreover, he looked content.

"Protect your honor, always. And Zack, protect your family." He closed his eyes and smiled softly. The pain and shame were going to stop.

Zack gasped and tried not to cry. It was really difficult.

That day, Zack made a promise to himself and to Angeal. He promised to protect his honor and embrace his dreams. He was going to continue Angeal's lectures. He was going to protect the world with pride.

But Zack was human and he needed a place to vent his anger and sadness. He felt comfortable around Aerith thus he ended up in the church, grieving.


	28. 28

Life moved on whether he liked it or not. Eloise didn't wake up and had to be kept under observation. Sephiroth became even colder and more mysterious. He was going somewhere, doing something no one knew but Zack had a lot to think about by himself. The buster sword was the proof that everything did happen. It wasn't a dream.

A few months later, Zack became the official trainer of the infantry men and 3rd class SOLDIERs. It was nice to have Cloud in the team. They were all rookies; inexperienced young boys. He was like that once. His sister was once like that too. The happiness of being a newbie was valuable and Zack was going to show them that.

"One piece of advice," He started, his eyes darkening. "No, an order. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your SOLDIER honor. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!"

He watched them closely, remembering they were supposed to go on a mission. Zack wanted them to return alive; all of them. He already lost too much.

* * *

As it seemed, life took a normal turn for Zack. He was finally able to relax. He got a vacation, surprisingly and got permission to go to Costa del Sol.

But in the Shinra Company, in Hojo's laboratory, Eloise was squirming out of her cocoon. She first moved her fingers. Hojo found that as a muscle contraction but afterwards, she started to move her head. In the end, she opened her eyes and woke up. It was good news if she was normal and healthy but she wasn't. Her DNA changed completely and her behavior did too.

Her once pale blue eyes were an intense turquoise color. Her hair was a lighter color and she was definitely taller. Hojo watched his experiment grow into a real woman. She was older and more mature. She was seeing the world with different eyes. Her conception over life and people changed drastically. Eloise wasn't evil but she wasn't bubbly and sociable anymore. She wasn't empty; she could still feel scared, hurt, angry, embarrassed and loved but they were all felt at a lower intensity than normal.

"Eloise Fair," Hojo was beaming with happiness. She was exactly how he imagined. Everything went according to his theories. "Are you ready to go back to SOLDIER?" 

"Yes. I'm ready." She answered coldly. "3rd class SOLDIER, Eloise Fair will become active again." She smiled. It was good to be back. 

"You won't go back to 3rd class," She raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Lazard informed me. You have been promoted to 2nd class. Your brother is a 1st class already."

It took a few second for her to register the news. Her eyes widened and she felt an incredible wave of happiness. However, it disappeared gradually. It probably was the after effect of her treatment.

When she walked out of the lab, she felt like her life suddenly became better. She first wanted to check her brother but his room was empty. Next, she walked into Lazard's office. He had nothing for her.

"You look different," He stated at a closer inspection.

"You know why. You know a lot, don't you? You knew about Genesis and Angeal too." Lazard chuckled.

"I am the director of SOLDIER. I know what happens in the company, Eloise." She stared at him with her new eyes, like a cat watching her prey. Lazard was feeling uncomfortable under her gaze. "Zack is on vacation in Costa del Sol." 

"Why did you only send Zack?" She asked, suspiciously precise with her words. "It's not over, is it?" She wasn't going to get any answers from him. There was only one person she could fully trust.

* * *

"I want answers."

Sephiroth was ready to leave the company when she jumped in his way. Looking at each other, it was very weird. Her eye color was more towards blue and her hair was still black; her features weren't exactly like Sephiroth's. She was still unique but for how long, no one knew.

"Come with me. We have to leave this place as soon as possible." He answered before walking past her.

They ended up somewhere on the outskirts of Midgar. Sephiroth turned to her and looked very serious.

"I've done my own research about Jenova," He started, "Jenova was my mother's name. They experimented with her cells. She died a long time ago."

"What does that have anything to do with us?"

"You had Jenova cells into your body. Now, you are made out of them. Your DNA has been changed completely, Eloise." 

"I'm not a monster." She found it important to say that.

"No. They are the monsters; Hojo and Shinra. They use the life stream of this world for their own benefit. Hollander tried to save you by using the cells. On the other hand, Hojo made you what you are now. Eloise, you are made of my mother." Sephiroth explained, his concern for her being flattering.

"It's not only me." She whispered.

"I know." 

"No, you don't. Angeal and Genesis were only a side project and it wasn't even Hojo's. When I returned from Nibelheim, I didn't give Lazard the entire report and I kept the Jenova File to myself." She had his entire attention. She wasn't sure if it was her place to tell him what he really was or not but he was going to find on his own, anyway. "There was a woman that got implemented with Jenova cells while pregnant. She was the first experiment and her baby was entirely made of Jenova cells. That baby is alive and he is perfect."

"What are you talking about?"

Eloise sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"His name wasn't in the file. If you find his identity, you'll find the answers to every question you have."

He watched her shift around uncertain. She knew more than she was letting out but he wasn't going to force her into telling him. Eloise was important to him. 

"Congratulations. You became a 2nd class SOLDIER." He stated randomly.

"Thank you?" She wasn't sure. It didn't seem like he was proud of her or happy for her. He just stated the obvious.

Sephiroth chuckled and patted her head. She missed that.

When they returned, they were informed that Lazard has gone missing. Eloise was confused, especially because she talked to him only a few hours ago. 

Lazard was an interesting individual and very sly from what she remarked. He probably gave her enough hints but she didn't pick them up and ignored him altogether. Unfortunately, Sephiroth had to go work and she remained all alone, like always. 

* * *

"I'm lost."

After only two hours of walking aimlessly around, she ended up in the suburbs. The people there were very different. They were poor but more honest. The corners were engulfed with children playing, getting away with almost anything. She chuckled when a child almost collided into her.

"They are so joyful, aren't they?"

Eloise tilted her head to the side and smiled. She never expected a pretty girl with such a soft voice to live in the suburbs.

"You sell flowers?"

She nodded. The girl was a little bit shorter than Eloise and she looked very gentle. It was weird but the SOLDIER felt a comforting feeling around her. Almost like a mother's.

"You don't see many flowers in Midgar." Eloise added.

"I know. I found this place where they grow. They are a miracle." Her eyes were genuinely happy and sincere. She was one of those girls who were pure for real. "Oh, my name is Aerith."

Eloise stared at the girl, fascinated that someone could talk to a SOLDIER so easily.

"Eloise. I'm Eloise. I'm a 2nd class SOLDIER. I know that people don't really like us but-" 

"You know, I met a SOLDIER before. He just fell out of the sky. SOLDIERs are scary and they love to fight but he was different. You remind me of him."

"Why?" She laughed softly.

"Your eyes seem cold but you're just lonely," That definitely hit a sensible chord in her. "You're not scary. He was playful and sincere. You remind me a little of Zack, actually,"

Eloise chuckled. Of course it was Zack. What other SOLDIER would be considered playful and sincere.

"Zack. He is my older brother." Aerith's eyes widened and she laughed again. "I had a few problems and I couldn't support him lately. I'm happy he found you. Thank you for taking care of him."

She smiled warmly and gave Eloise a flower.

"Come back with him to visit. You're both welcome anytime!"

Eloise couldn't hold back the wide smile that contoured her face. It was impossible to stay blunt around Aerith. It was a nice change in both scenery and people.


	29. 29

On the way back to the company, Eloise met someone whom she hadn't had the pleasure to see in a long time. She smiled out of reflex and hurried to him.

"Reno!"

The redhead turk was more excited than she was. He hugged her tightly and spun her around, laughing as they enjoyed each other's presence.

"Yo! You've been gone for a while. Were you visiting your parents for that long?"

She raised an eyebrow and squirmed out of his embrace.

"Who told you that? Tseng?"

"That's what Lazard told Tseng before. But now that Lazard's gone missing and he's been incriminated for taking Genesis and Hollander's side, I'm curious if that was true."

Hearing the suspicion in his words, Eloise decided that it was better if Reno wasn't aware of the changes in her life.

"It is. Lazard had no reason to lie to Tseng about me." The girl lied.

Reno chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pushing her incredibly close.

"You've been missing a lot of action, Eloise. We should meet and talk about it."

"Are you asking me out in a subtle way?"

Reno laughed but nodded nonetheless. He was waiting patiently for her response but her phone rang and from the looks of it, her attention shifted completely. Eloise listened to the caller silently before she agreed and hung up.

"It's Sephiroth. I'm needed in Junon." The SOLDIER admitted as she turned to the redhead.

For a moment, Reno looked disappointed but that changed when he looked into her eyes. They were slightly different than he remembered but then again, she was growing as a SOLDIER. Who knew how much mako she had infused after she was raised in grade.

"Next time, then." He said smiling when her eyes brightened.

* * *

When Eloise got there, she got attacked by what the turks called Genesis copies. Her body became stronger and her tolerance to pain became just as handy as her tolerance of alcohol.

"Eloise!"

She slashed the last copy and turned her head towards her mentor. Sephiroth seemed tense as he signed for her to follow him.

They walked for a while until Eloise noticed another SOLDIER uniform in the distance. As they walked closer, she realized it was Zack, talking to Hollander. The scientist smirked and fell off the platform. Two Genesis copies caught him and left.

"Tsh. Should have known," Zack was disappointed.

"Mission failed. This goes on your permanent record." That was probably the best joke Sephiroth could think about. It wasn't even funny.

Zack turned to his superior with a questioning expression and saw Eloise a few feet behind, his expression changing abruptly. He smiled goofy and waved at her but Eloise tensed, confused how seeing him didn't stir anything in her heart.

"Long time no see, Sephiroth. And Eloise!" He was ready to go and hug his sister but she shook her head quickly.

"Let the turks take care of the rest. I was on my way to Modeoheim, but I heard you were in the area. I called Eloise and came here." Sephiroth started commonly.

Zack placed his hands on his waist and rolled his eyes.

"Lucky me," He mumbled as he glanced at his sister.

Eloise swallowed nervously when she felt him scan every part of her face. She was his sister yet she wasn't; Zack couldn't quite point why she felt like a stranger.

"The situation had not resolved. Genesis copies have been sighted around the world." Sephiroth started as Zack looked genuinely concerned. He didn't know if it was because of the matter at hand or because Eloise was there. It hurt his sister deeply when Genesis deserted. They had a great bond and he just broke it. And for what? Zack didn't understand what was inside Genesis' head.

"But that is impossible. We wiped out those Genesis copies."

"Did Genesis really die?" Sephiroth asked coldly. "They've been sighted in Midgar, as well. The slums too," Sephiroth's face contorted into an amused smirk at how fast Zack reacted to his subtle hint. Thankfully, Sephiroth knew exactly what the puppy was thinking about. "Permission to return granted."

Zack was perplexed. A lot happened in the last few years and he learned to be wary around Sephiroth.

"Uh, yeah. You too."

Besides, there was Eloise. He wanted to grab her hand and assure her that everything was going to be alright. Zack last saw her in a tub and that wasn't exactly a positive sight; he wanted her to be safe. Sephiroth probably sensed Zack's incertitude and walked towards Eloise, patting her head like she was a pet.

"What's going on in Modeoheim?" Zack asked, still worried for his sister.

"The device Hollander was using has been stolen."

Zack frowned, "Genesis?" Out of reflex he glanced at Eloise. She didn't even flinch.

"Probably,"

Zack was an innocent soul. He wanted to express his feelings somehow but Sephiroth wasn't really the right person. Fortunately, he didn't have to.

"We'll meet again soon. I will take care of Eloise. You don't have to worry." The silver haired man replied, assuring the dark haired SOLDIER.

"I'll hold you to that."

For some reason, he knew Eloise would be safe around her mentor. Even though she got hurt a lot in training, Sephiroth cared about her. He wouldn't let her die without a fight.

Sephiroth watched the young soldier with soft eyes. He was an optimistic, hardworking, kind man. His place was definitely not in SOLDIER or Shinra. What Zack didn't know yet was that he was a hero already. On the other side, Eloise was far from that path.

"You called me for nothing."

Eloise followed her mentor to the closest helicopter. Unfortunately, Reno was not the pilot so it felt really awkward; Sephiroth didn't even glance at her.

"I did not. I wanted you to see how far he has gone."

"But he is not a monster in my eyes. He is nothing but a victim." Eloise repeated that statement, still holding on that hope.

Sephiroth crossed his hands and stared at the sky, "This world has gone astray."

She leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes. Back then she didn't understand the meaning of his statement but later she found out the truth.

As soon as they landed back on the roof of the Shinra building in Midgar, Sephiroth turned to her with a stoic face.

"Go see Hojo." That sounded a lot like an order rather than an advice.

* * *

"How have you been feeling lately, Eloise? Have you seen the wolf or hear any voices?" Hojo started to question her as soon as she showed her face, "What about the others, then?"

"What do you mean?"

He chuckled darkly and leaned against a table.

"Do other people feel different around you?"

She pondered on that question. Eloise only talked to a few people since she woke up but Sephiroth and Reno were acting the same. The one who seemed different was Zack.

"I don't think people feel different around me."

Hojo raised an eyebrow and turned to his other experiments, "Is that what you think or what they say?"

She blinked in astonishment. That scientist was making her doubt everyone.

* * *

Meanwhile, Zack and Sephiroth met in Lazard's office to talk about different matters. They had to investigate a mako reactor in a regional area. Sephiroth surprised the soldier when he told him that depending on what was going to happen there, he would either abandon Shinra or remain loyal to SOLDIER.

On his way to his room, he saw Eloise leaning against the wall. He only patted her shoulder in an innocent matter but her body emitted a strange light. He felt his fingers numb and realized she electrocuted him.

"What's going on, Eloise?"

She glanced at him over her shoulder but it felt really distant.

"Do I intimidate you, Zack?" She asked in a serious tone.

Zack almost chocked while trying not to laugh. That was probably a good response for Hojo.

"No. But you do look different and give a different vibe. Maybe experience becomes visible in your behavior?"

Eloise raised an eyebrow bemusedly when hearing her brother's explanation.

"Those are big words for someone so easy minded like you, Zack."

He narrowed his eyes at her before he playfully pushed her. Eloise was known to lose her balance quickly but she didn't flinch.

"What about Genesis?" Zack asked after they both made their way to the lounge.

"What about him?" She asked nonchalantly. Seeing how Zack frowned, she added, " I'm alright, Zack. For me, Genesis is not the bad character in this story. I'm not going to cry after him because I know it's not his fault."

Zack sighed and watched her as he lagged a bit behind.

"Then whose fault is it?"

"Monsters." Was her reply.

 What was that suppose to mean?

* * *

Unfortunately, Zack's time was limited as he had to meet Aerith in the slums. He called Tseng on the way and told him to meet him in the slums. The turk was the only person Zack could count on with anything, especially the flower girl.

A few hours later, Zack returned with a content smile.He passed by the lounge and saw Eloise till sleeping which brought a smile on his face. Next, he had to gather a few of his trustworthy men and go on a mission. Zack found Cloudin the corridor, waiting for him.He asn't alone.

"One, two, three," Zack was a little disappointed as he counted. It was Cloud and two other 3rd class SOLDIERs. He could swear he knew one of them but he couldn't recall from where exactly.

They straightened up when Sephiroth entered the room, especially because he wasn't alone. Eloise was following closely, looking as if she hasn't been sleeping for the past few hours.

"Where are we going?" Eloise asked suppressing a yawn.

"To Nibelheim." Sephiroth answered, bringing a smile on Cloud's face, "Eloise will assist us in this assignment. I personally asked her to come." He looked to the three young soldiers before he continued, "Obey her orders as if they were mine. She is my pupil." He ordered before he left.

"So your name is Eloise?" Cloud asked, brave enough to take a step and talk to her in front of her brother.

"You two know each other?" Zack asked watching curiously between the two.

Eloise nodded and pointed to Cloud, "He is the guy that helped me when I almost fainted." she started before she pointed at another solider, " He's Matt. We've been colleagues before." 

Zack couldn't help but laugh before he hit her playfully on the back. He didn't do it as slightly as he thought because her widened in pain.

"That's great. This mission will be fun!"

Eloise was sure that Sephiroth had other plans.

* * *

They barely entered Nibelheim when Eloise started to have flashbacks of her first mission, Matt too. They have been both there when they got set up. The only person who was happy to be there was Cloud because he was home. Sephiroth found it vital to point that out. Actually, Sephiroth was very talkative that day.

"I have no hometown. I wouldn't know how Cloud feels."

"Uh, what about family?" Cloud asked.

Eloise could feel the tension rising but didn't say a word.

"My mother's name is Jenova. She died shortly after I was born. My father-" He stopped and started to laugh loudly which was uncharacteristic to him. "Why am I talking about this? Come on, let's go."

The three young soldiers walked after Sephiroth in silence. Zack stayed back and glanced at Eloise worriedly.

"Did he just say that his mother's name is Jenova?" Her eyes widened slightly and tried to bypass that subject. She decided to let it slip and move along. "Do you know something?" Zack asked, knowing his sister well enough.

"Not enough."

Zack bit his lip and watched his younger sister walk into the village. She was hiding something and he was sure it had everything to do with Jenova. Actually, that subject made Zack remember Eloise' first time as an infantry girl. She couldn't accept mako energy because her body wasn't compatible but they did something to her and she became a 3rd class SOLDIER. Now that he was thinking about that, it was kind of suspicious.

* * *

Coincidence or not, they signed in the same cottage as she did on her first mission. Even weirder was the girl who became their guide: her name was Tifa and she was the girl that helped Eloise before. Moreover, Eloise witnessed Cloud and Tifa arguing like friends; well, the blond was from Nibelheim and they looked to be around the same age.

It was funny. Tifa was everything Cloud wasn't; she was perceptive and playful while Cloud was more like a soldier. He had that kind of calm demeanor and lost his childishness quite early. Of course, she couldn't say that about Zack. No matter what, he'd always see the bright side of the sun.

Tifa took them around and made pictures. Eloise enjoyed that a lot, surprising herself.

"So you really are a soldier. It must be hard, right?"

Eloise chuckled but nodded anyway. It was hard.

"You get used to the roughness of the job. But you know, there is a secret." Eloise chuckled when Tifa leaned in curiously, "You have to enjoy every second of it. If not, it becomes hell."

"I've always wanted to learn how to fight but Cloud never taught me. Maybe you can show me some moves." Eloise raised an eyebrow and walked right past her. Tifa scoffed and ran after her, "Come on. I can help you if you ever need my help. It's a win-win situation~"

Eloise glanced at the short teenager and patted her head.

"Deal."

Tifa jumped and smiled happily, thanking over and over again.

It was a different sight from what she got used to. Tifa and Aerith were people with pure souls. They were untainted and that made them special in her point of view. Eloise had different dreams than most girls and eventually, those dreams forced her to give up on her most valuable treasure: humanity. She still felt good in her skin but she knew she was going to snap at some point.

Their tour ended once they arrived in front of the mako reactor.

"This is a top secret facility." So that was the right word for that place: a facility. "Non Shinra personnel are not permitted inside." Sephiroth turned to Cloud, "Keep the young lady safe." 

Cloud nodded and saluted his superior with respect.

Eloise followed her mentor without really questioning his motives. On the other side, Zack could feel something bad was going to happen. His heart was beating faster and his instincts were going crazy. He wanted to trust Sephiroth but he couldn't shake off what he said, that he was ready to abandon Shinra if he had a reason to. What was going to happen to Eloise then? Zack didn't want to find that out.

Once inside, Sephiroth led them to the highest level of the facility. It was closed and had the word Jenova written above the door. Seeing that name, Eloise felt her hands tremble. She closed her eyes and leaned against a diverse container. She decided to stay behind and let the two talk in silence but Sephiroth wanted her to be part of their conversation.

"This is the cause of the malfunction. This section is broken." He turned to Zack, who was just descending the stairs. "Go seal the valve. Eloise, come here."

The siblings complied silently.

The atmosphere changed gradually. Once everything was done, Sephiroth became anxious, surprising both Zack and Eloise. They have never seen the SOLDIER hero so confused and overwhelmed. He was pacing back and forth and was always glancing at the containers.

Zack glanced at his sister and pointed his head to Sephiroth's direction. She raised an eyebrow and didn't move an inch. Zack pointed again and told her to talk to him through signs. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest, leaning against a container before encouraging him to speak. Zack frowned.

Sephiroth stopped in front of the same container and stared at what was inside. Zack got curious and walked over there. His eyes widened and he took a step back when seen the subject inside. Eloise raised an eyebrow and curious out of nature, she glanced inside the container she was leaning against. That creature inside was enough for the young SOLDIER to turn to her mentor.

"What is that?"

"Your average SOLDIER members are mako infused humans. You're enhanced, but you're still human. But then, what are those things? Their mako energy levels are exponentially higher than yours."

"Are they monsters?" Zack asked, missing the way his sister tensed. 

Sephiroth glanced at his pupil from the corner of his eye and walked towards her.

"Yes. The Shinra scientist Hojo was the one who created them. Abominations spawned by mako energy. That's what monsters are."

Sephiroth's explanation was not assuring Eloise of her own condition at all. She swallowed nervously as she felt something in her body sting. Hearing it from Genesis didn't sound so bad but now that Sephiroth said it, she felt like crawling into a hole.

"You said average member. What about you? And what about Eloise?" Zack was asking very good questions. 

Inside her mind, Eloise was already forming a scenario of how Zack was going to abandon her for being a monster. Sephiroth's response was more practical than literal: he stumbled back and held his head in pain. Eloise hurried next to him and reached out for his hand but he slapped it away. Since her intervention didn't work, Zack tried his luck but he got pushed away.

"Could it be that I was created the same way?" The firm man wondered out-loud, "Am I the same as these monsters?" Hearing her mentor say something like that made her realize more clearly what she was, as well. The fear of being a destructive being became stronger. Eloise glanced at her hands and saw faint sparkles of energy. "I knew, ever since I was a child. I was not like the others. I knew mine was a special existence. But this- this was not what I meant..."

Eloise jumped in surprise when the container beside her opened. The monster inside was horrifying. She did something she hadn't done since she was a kid: she ran to her brother. Zack took a step back in shock.

"Eloise," He mumbled. She kept her head down not wanting to look her brother in the eye.

"Am I a human being?" Sephiroth's rhetorical question ran deep. The response that came had a big effect on both the mentor and the pupil.

"No such luck. You are a monster and so is Eloise."

Eloise felt a sudden urge to move out of the way but she didn't do it fast enough. She got thrown to the side by a gust of red energy. It was sudden and strong.  Zack was on his back, a few feet away while Sephiroth was having a mental breakdown.

"Genesis," Her arm hurt. She got scratched and the energy slipped through the wound. It was surplus of mako and it wasn't welcomed.

"Sephiroth, you were the greatest monster created by the Jenova Project." Genesis started before he glanced at Eloise over his shoulder, "And Eloise Fair is nothing but a successful branch of her mentor."

That didn't surprise her but it definitely surprised the others.

"What is the Jenova Project?" Sephiroth asked.

Genesis turned to his friend andwalked down the stairs.

"The Jenova Project was the term used for all experiments relating to the use of Jenova cells."

"My mother's cells?" Sephiroth's mind was overwhelmed by too much information. Genesis knew exactly what he was doing; he was pushing the boundaries.

"Poor little Sephiroth. You've actually never met your mother. You've only been told her name, no? I don't know what images you've conjured up in your head but-"

"Genesis, no!"

Her head snapped to her brother. He knew, didn't he? Even with her feelings' level lowered, she still felt a strong gust of fear.

"Jenova was excavated from a 2000-years-old rock layer. She's a monster." Genesis explained, the truth finally settling in.

Sephiroth's head snapped to Eloise and he took a few steps back in astonishment. He was doubtful since he knew Genesis well enough but maybe not this time.

"Jenova Project G gave birth to Angeal and monsters like myself. Jenova Project S used the remains of countless failed experiments to create a perfect monster. Jenova Project E-" He glanced at Eloise. "-has been conducted by accident. Hojo couldn't pass an opportunity to evolve an innocent girl into walking energy. Eloise is nothing but a toy for Sephiroth. That was why she was created."

"What do you want from me?"

"Your traits cannot be copied unto others. Your genes can't be diffused therefore, your body cannot degrade. Until now, I could only post-pone the process thanks to Eloise' blood. But now, her DNA changed and she cannot be used anymore. It's still a miracle that she is conscious."

Hearing those harsh words being thrown at her, Eloise felt even worse.

"You're not a monster, Eloise." Zack whispered, trying to reassure her but it was long past that point.

What Genesis wanted was for Sephiroth to share his cells with him. He based his argument on friendship. Unfortunately, his friendship with Sephiroth had never been too tight. It never ran as deep as it did with Angeal so normally, Sephiroth's response was negative. For him, Genesis' life made no difference.

"Are you going to sacrifice your precious puppy too?" Genesis asked, his eyes falling on what used to be his link to humanity.

That didn't reach Sephiroth.

"I see. Perfect monster, indeed." Genesis mumbled, "When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting." He recited as he walked in front of her and grabbed her chin. "The mission is not done yet, Eloise. I will see you soon."


	30. 30

"Eloise! Wait up!"

After her mentor and former crush left, Eloise grew annoyed and anxious. Zack could only guess the reasons and he was probably right.

"Come on, wait for your older brother!"

"Which one!?" She yelled over her shoulder, glaring at Zack. 

"Right. Bad choice of words." He muttered to himself as he followed his sister closely.

Once they left the facility, they found Tifa trying to fight a creature. Cloud was already on the ground wounded forcing Zack to take action. After that was done, Eloise sent Tifa home while Zack took Cloud into their room.

It was quite an unfortunate day. Six soldiers entered Nibelheim. Two got shaken up by a secret summoning and had to be taken back. Another one was Cloud and didn't look like he will end up differently. Moreover, Zack found out the truth about her condition and Sephiroth started to doubt his existence. It was one unfortunate day.

That's why when Sephiroth called Eloise to come to the Shinra Mansion to help him find more information about Jenova she decided one brother was in more need of comfort than the other.

The whole Shinra Manor was upside down. Some books were spread on the tables while other documents were lying around. Sephiroth was in the library reading a document while he was sneaking glances at another one.

"You really want to know who you are, don't you?"

Sephiroth didn't speak nor look at her. He was absorbed by the need to find out the truth.

"Don't you?"

She sighed and grabbed a random document off the table.

"I've been created to entertain you. Is there something more to it?"

At that point, he looked up at her with a judging gaze. He didn't like how she characterized herself. She wasn't a toy, at least not in his eyes.

"Are you going to accept everything and not ask questions? They stole your life and your family from you."

That was a very good point that Sephiroth didn't have to underline for her. The guilt she was feeling was enough.

* * *

For the next few hours, she only sat and read random documents.

One project in particular caught her attention. It was about a man who got hurt in a mission. Because his wounds were severe, the doctors didn't give him high chances to survive therefore, Hojo and his partner took him and created the perfect weapon. However, the side effects were quite monstrous and even though he became an immortal creature, he still had emotions. Those emotions made him unstable and dangerous. He was Project V; a project that followed Hojo's selfish desire to create immortality.

Except that, Eloise found many projects regarding Jenova cells. Unfortunately, most of them became unstable and got labeled as failures. She found as many projects regarding the Life Stream from what she could understand that once a soldier is injected with mako energy, when he dies he automatically becomes part of the Life Stream. Materia was made of Life Stream energy, as well. If a soldier were to use too much materia at once, he would lose his own life energy and be consumed by the mako.

Overall, she read about the projects regarding anything but Jenova. Hojo has been working for Shinra from a very young age and most of his projects were involving weapons.

"Eloise! Here, read it." Eloise's eyes widened when Sephiroth placed a few documents in front of her. The title was giving out the subject: Project E.

_September, 2020_

_I have been informed that a young female soldier who entered Shinra Company as an infantry man failed the mako tests. It seems she has an allergic reaction to it. It begins with spasms and eventually, she looses unconsciousness. Her heart beats slow down and her body becomes stiff, like a corpse. Very interesting._

_December, 2020_

_I have been informed that my recent project has been accepted by Shinra. I can begin my experiment regarding Jenova cells and the Life Stream. My subject has already been infused with a medium sized concentration of mako energy. Her body reacts surprisingly well._

_May, 2021_

_Project E has been going smoothly. However, her body continues to grow and the concentration of energy inside her body becomes unstable. She needs a stabilizer. Therefore, I injected her with Jenova cells harvested from subject S._

It seemed her body was responding perfectly to Hojo's infusions with new cells and energy. Nothing was bad. That was why she jumped a few pages. She found something interesting two years later.

_June 2023_

_After the recent events, I realized that Subject E became unstable. Much like Subject V from a few years ago, she didn't lose her emotions. She is a dangerous weapon and shall be removed for a while. Luckily, her side reactions to Jenova cells became better. She has hallucinations and seems to be having an internal fight between her consciousness and the monster inside her head. The energy is what keeps her still human but that will change soon enough._

_July 2023_

_Subject E has finally lost control. I incubated her and harvested Jenova cells from Subject S. Her body is finally responding to the treatment. She is still in early stages of her transformation but will evolve and will become strong enough. Since her body became a vessel for Subject S' cells, the two will have to create a deep bond or else they will end up killing each other. Subject E is nothing but a younger sister to Subject S. I created a beautiful creature that cannot live without my assistance._

That was quite a intriguing sentence: couldn't live without his assistance. What did that mean? She knew she had a deep bond with Sephiroth because she was made out of his cells but she could live without Hojo and without the needles. She kept reading in hope to find more.

_October 2030_

_The War between our country and Wutai has finally finished. However, more interesting things happen inside the laboratories of Shinra. Eloise had finally awakened with the help of recent circumstances but she will always need a dose of stabilizer._

That was the last note. It's been two years since then and a lot of things happened. But she was curious what that stabilizer was. Maybe it was Sephiroth, or maybe I was something completely different. She didn't know and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out the truth.

Eloise started to think about a lot of things and with every answer she found, she got more questions about herself. It seemed that she wasn't really created just to entertain Sephiroth but then, Hojo had quite a few reasons to make her and Sephiroth become closer.

"Well?"

"I'm still not sure why they created me. It's just so complicated. I'm not sure about anything and they compared me to some other project that took place a long time ago. What did you find?"

"The truth about our mother."

" _Our_ mother?" She asked, emphasizing that one word. "Jenova's not my mother. I just have her cells because they infused me with them. She's _not_ my mother."

"Your body has been modified inside out. You have my eyes, Eloise." He looked different and the aura he was emitting was the opposite of his old one."We are not the monsters. We have no choice but reunite the family, don't we?"

He walked in front of her and placed his hand on her head gently.

"Let's go meet our mother, **sister**."

* * *

It's been a whole week and Zack had no sign from his sister. She sent him a text and told him she was with her mentor inside the Shinra Manor. On the seventh day, everything changed. Not only for Eloise who got the chance to see her mentor as who he really was, but for Zack too.

"I don't want to go see her. How can we know she is kept here, anyway? What if it's not the real one?" Eloise complained, unwilling to meet her so called mother.

Sephiroth glared at his pupil and grabbed her hand harshly. She frowned and squirmed but his grip only tightened.

"The documents talk about this facility. She is here." He started, dragging Eloise behind.. "The world is a rotten place, Eloise. We both have witnessed disasters and massacres and they are all for power. I'm going to change this planet and make it better."

"Even if that means killing innocent people? Innocent children?"

"They will thank me one day; these people who seem so important for you will have to sacrifice for better." He grabbed his sword and blasted a ball of energy at a random house. Her eyes widened.

"What are you doing? That's not the way it should be! You can use your own power and become a real hero! You don't have to kill, Sephiroth." He scoffed and grabbed her by the neck. He was far more powerful than she was and his grip was tightening around her neck with every passing second. "You're not a monster. You are my mentor." For a moment, she swore she saw something flicker in his eyes but it vanished just as quickly.

"Maybe one should act like a monster to gain the power of reality. I don't know how it feels to be human. I've always been nothing but a monster." He commented and pushed her aside.

Sephiroth burned down the whole village down. Even through the flames, Eloise was searching for her real brother, the one whose emotions will never change.

"Zack?!" She yelled, but it was difficult to see if it was him or someone else. "Zack!" She tried again, this time getting a response.

"Eloise?!" He saw a shadow lurking around the corner and ran towards it. As soon as she saw him, Eloise wrapped her hands around him. "Eloise, what happened? Do you know where Sephiroth went?"

She looked up into his blue eyes and felt her soul break.

"No matter what everyone says, you will always be my brother. We fought together, we were raised together and we made it so far together. No matter what, you are my real and only brother, Zack." eloise stroked his cheek softly and smiled. Zack was left in a state of shock. He didn't know how to respond to such a confession.

"Eloise," He needed a few moments to realize exactly what she was doing. "You're right. No matter what happens you will always be my little boyish sister and I'll always be right beside you. No matter what."

* * *

Once she calmed down and took a deep breath in, she realized just how unstable were her emotions in extreme matters.

Zack followed his sister to the place Sephiroth definitely went. The facility was deserted, like before. Sephiroth was inside, keen to meet his mother. Zack saw Tifa from the corner of his eye and ran to her aid. She was hurt but nothing too bad. He turned his head to Eloise and saw something he would have never imagined.

"Eloise,"

She was scared. No, she was horrified. Zack walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Up close, he could see just how much she wanted to leave that facility.

"You don't have to be scared of Sephiroth. He will never hurt you."

"If I enter that room, it feels like I will surrender to what I became. Jenova's remnants are there. I can't accept her as being anything remotely close to me. I'm scared to face her because that only means I became that, too." eloise whispered, sounding like she was about to cry.

"You are not a monster, Eloise. Whatever is inside, it has nothing to do with you. You didn't inject yourself with her cells. You needed them to survive the mako energy. You needed them to become the exact opposite of what that thing is: a hero." His eyes were glistening with sincerity.

From the teary eyes to laughter was a big step, one that she easily took. Maybe something finally cracked in her head but Zack could only watch.

"I'm sorry. It just feels so much like the time when we were kids."

"I'm not going to force you to come with me. It's up to you." He said to comfort her.

* * *

"Mother, you should have ruled this planet. But then they came and took it away from you."

Zack was already inside by the time Sephiroth started his monologue. Eloise could only enter but not move from that sole spot. And then she noticed what Sephiroth was speaking to: a metal face. It was nothing but a mask covering what was truly on the other side.

"But don't be sad Mother! I am with you now." Sephiroth looked genuinely happy while saying that. He took the mask away and revealed the real Jenova. Zack took a step back while Eloise covered her mouth.

"That- that is unbelievable"

The abomination who fell on Earth was a woman who looked to be in a comatose. She wasn't as monstrous as Eloise imagined but looked like a woman, with two legs wrapped together in chains and hands wrapped behind her back. She wasn't a horrifying creature and that itself triggered something in her mind.

"Can monsters look like that? She looks like a victim,"

Sephiroth's head snapped to Eloise when he heard her statement.

"That's because our mother is a victim. These dullards came along and destroyed what was the only chance of this planet." His eyes glistened with hatred. He was angry at everyone because they hurt his mother.

"Just like a child," She mumbled.

Zack heard her and looked pitifully at Sephiroth. She was right. He was acting like a normal child: crying all that time for his mother. That wasn't abnormal but he was taking it to a whole new level.

Out of nowhere, Eloise found herself being pushed away. Zack's eyes widened as he witnessed his sister being hit by a sudden ball of energy from Sephiroth. It looked pretty strong since she went flying back a few feet. What was worse was that she didn't get up like usually.

"What did you do to her? She's the only one who would never blame you for anything!"

Sephiroth simply ignored Zack and turned to his precious mother.  The boy ran behind him and placed his sword dangerously close to his neck.

"Have you completely lost your mind?! I trusted you!"

The fight between the two was not fair whatsoever. In the first place, Sephiroth was stronger and had more training. Zack's attacks were nothing compared to his. However, the grey-haired man didn't want his mother to suffer any injuries thus he pushed Zack off the chord and made him fall a few levels below.

Even though Zack was concentrating and was using his skills at maximum power, Sephiroth was a strong adversary. He wasn't the old and trustworthy SOLDIER Zack met. He became something else, driven by an unknown desire to control the planet. He was ready to kill everything and everyone to succeed his plan. Zack was only one opponent.

Zack realized just why Eloise was full of wounds and scratches all the time. Sephiroth's fighting style was pretty much furious. Eloise' style was all based on attacks and not much on defense. It was rough and dangerous but it made her improve very fast. Sephiroth really did a great job in being her mentor but that was all. He was not Eloise's mentor anymore. He became the enemy.

The fight progressed in a way that led them both back in Jenova's room. Even with the mako in his body, Zack was no match for Sephiroth. It took him one last attack to send Zack back, onto the stairs. He landed quite brutally and that was it. His wounds were too many to bypass.

Sephiroth smirked and turned to his mother. Angeal's Buster Sword got stuck on the ground after Zack got hit. The ex-SOLDIER was so mesmerized by Jenova that he completely forgot about Cloud. The infantry man took the Buster Sword and stuck it into his side.

Sephiroth wasn't dead. He took the head of Jenova and walked into the main hall where a lot had happened. Driven by remorse and courage, Cloud tried to kill Sephiroth. That didn't work well. While the grey-haired man plunged his sword into Cloud's stomach, the young soldier still had enough power to raise the sword and push him to the side. In the end, both Zack and Cloud got seriously injured and lost consciousness.

* * *

When Eloise woke up, she faced someone whom she wasn't very happy to see.

"Why are you here?"

Her back still hurt and she probably sprained her ankle when she fell.

"You disappoint me, Eloise. I thought you will be the one to stop Sephiroth from meeting Jenova." She scoffed and pushed his hand away. He was trying to inject some weird substance into her body again. "You need this."

"No, I don't. Stop acting like I don't know anything." After what happened, she had the right to be angry and don't trust Hojo. "Where-"Her eyes moved around and noticed two people in two different tubs. Her eyes widened and she hurried in front of them. It was a little hard with a sprained ankle but she made it. "Zack! And Cloud!"

"They suffered some bad injuries. They might as well be declared dead but if they stay for long enough in there, they will be fine."

She touched the tub and stroke it softly.

"That's mako in the tubs, right? Are they going to become like me?"

Hojo shook his head and gathered his utensils.

"I told you, Eloise. You were a different case. You will thank me later. I made you strong enough to be at the same level as Sephiroth. But don't try to kill him, Eloise." Hojo advised.

"Why not?"

"Because he made you what you are now, both mentally and genetically. You will never be able to kill him."

Eloise chuckled and glanced at the scientist over her shoulder.

"In the end, I'm nothing but a toy."

Hojo scowled at her before he left the laboratory. Eloise sighed and laid back on the metal bed with Sephiroth's eyes in mind. He wasn't only a monster; he was a _demon._


	31. 31

"Here,"

After what she has been through for the last few years, Eloise felt tired. Hojo had many plans regarding Zack and Cloud and for some sick reason, he told Eloise exactly what he wanted to do. Hojo wanted to make them part of the Jenova Reunion Project and sadly, she didn't have enough power nor the right title to go against his plans.

There was always someone in the laboratory inside Shinra Mansion, one younger than the other. That particular day, Eloise met the innocent green eyes of a newcomer.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked randomly.

"Eloise Fair, SOLDIER 2nd Class." He answered by the book.

"Then do you know what i am?" Eloise asked and the answer was somewhat expected: he watched her confused. 

A few hours later, the same green eyed scientist placed a cup of tea on the table and pushed it slowly towards her.

"You've been in here for a few days already. Aren't you getting bored?"

It's been a week, to be more exact, and the only thing she felt was guilt. If Zack was going to become like her, that was entirely her fault. Hojo injected the two boys with Jenova cells but not enough to make them monsters; not yet.

"No. I just want to watch over them. I want to keep them safe."

"They are here and Doctor Hojo is treating them with mako and Jenova cells. They are safe." The scientist replied, genuinely believing his words.

"You don't know what kind of world you work in. Everything Hojo does is for himself. Sephiroth is his experiment. I'm sure you didn't read the documents in the manor." Her eyes started to change gradually as she spoke, scaring the boy. 

"What happened to you?"

"It seems I am a vessel for Jenova cells." She answered bluntly.

The young man stared at her for a few minutes before he left. She sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"I can't stay here forever. Just wake up, Zack. Wake up and let's go home."

* * *

Eloise was sleeping when she felt something cold against her hands. She opened her eyes slightly and saw a bulky man doing something to her hands. Her eyes widened and she squirmed. A few more men came inside and placed chains around her hands, legs and neck. Hojo entered the laboratory and walked in front of her.

"What are you doing?"

"You can't stay here, Eloise. Your dear mentor may or may not be dead. I can't conduct my experiments with a ticking bomb in my laboratory. The turks will take you in custody."

Her eyes widened, "No! I'm not going to be killed just because you made me a monster!"

Hojo chuckled and grabbed a needle from his pocket. She shut up instantly and gulped. That needle was stupidly long.

"I told you, Eloise. You are a success. I'm not going to kill you but I'm not going to let you awake for now. It's time to go back into your cocoon, my little butterfly."

It happened really fast. He plunged the needle into her neck and the effect was instant. She fainted.

_Eloise woke up in a place that looked a lot like Heaven. Even though that place had a soothing atmosphere and made her feel light, she wanted to go back to reality._

_"You have to wait a little bit longer. But when everything settles down, you will understand."_

_She raised an eyebrow and moved chaotically around. That voice sounded very familiar._

_"Are you dead?"_

_Sephiroth chuckled. It sounded genuine, just like on the first time she met him._

_"Am I? I don't think so. You aren't either."_

_"How can we talk like that?"_

_He didn't appear in front of her like Eloise expected but his voice was coming from somewhere._

_"We're both dormant for now. We need to channel our life force and heal ourselves. We can do that, Eloise. We can help each other."_

_"How?" Eloise asked, feeling him stare at the back of her head._

_"I will need your help. Not now, but later. For now, I will help you wake up fully charged." She looked down at her hands and realized her fingers were already emitting electric sparks. "Use the energy in your own benefit. You can control it without hurting yourself. I taught you well, Eloise."_

_Her body was buzzing and she felt herself starting to glow._

When Eloise woke up, she didn't realize what she has done. She destroyed the whole laboratory she had been placed in and electrocuted the men around her. Sadly, none was Hojo.

Unfortunately, she has been moved. The place was unfamiliar and windows were too small to catch a glimpse at the outside world. She limped for a while until she got into a hall where she leaned against the wall and walked like that. Her side was stinging but when she patted around, there was not even a scratch.

Eloise was walking with her head down when she noticed a pair of shoes a few feet forward. She was ready to raise her hand when that person caught it and kept it down. Eloise raised her head and gaped at the person before her.

"Nice to meet you again, Eloise."

"Rufus,"

* * *

She thought he was the enemy. She thought he was going to kill her but nothing happened. He helped her into an empty office and forced her to sit.

"What are you doing?" Eloise asked while watching his every move.

He grabbed materia from his pocket and pushed it in her arm.

"I'm helping you."

"Why are you helping me? Didn't you see what I became? What all of us became..."

Rufus Shinra looked up at her and scoffed. Her eyes were completely different from the first time they met and it wasn't inly the color but the loss of her childishness. It felt like he was looking into the abyss. It was empty.

"I see that. I see everything my father and the Company do but I can't fight against it. It's not my place to do that." The blond explained.

"Then whose place is to change this reality?"

Rufus didn't know and truthfully, he didn't care. He was somewhat content with his life and didn't care about the others. But she was new. She was like a toy. He could spin her once and watch what direction she would go to.

"I don't care as long as it doesn't involve me." Was his answer.

She pushed him away and got up feeling surprisingly better.

"There will come one day when everything will fall apart. You will get involved either if you want to or not. I want to live and see that day." Eloise stated coldly before she left the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Rufus chuckled bemusedly to himself.

"I'd like to see that day, too."

* * *

Walking for a while, Eloise realized she was inside the Shinra Building; the important one. The president was working there and the turks were there too. She was hiding around and sneaking through the halls when someone wrapped a hand around her neck, pulling her back into a manly chest.

"And where do you think you're going, little lady?"

She closed her eyes and gave up.

"Anywhere but here."

He chuckled and patted her head cutely.

"I thought so."

In the end, Reno couldn't take her outside the building no matter how sneaky he was. Eloise was a prisoner that held important information about Sephiroth.

"By the way, where is Zack?" Reno asked, careful to keep a grip on her at all times. "He's been missing for four years. We know that Hojo has something to do with it. We just hope they're still alive."

"You who?" Eloise hissed, not quite able to control her anger.

Reno smiled and pointed at himself.

"Me. And there's Tseng and Cissnei. We want to keep you all safe." Reno stated contently but Eloise scoffed.

"No one is safe, believe me." She muttered.

"What about Sephiroth?"

Her eyes hardened considerably.

"What about him?" Her tone was really cold too.

"Did he die? What happened in Nibelheim?" 

"It was a set up." She joked but Reno didn't find that amusing at all.

"What happened to the happy and sincere Eloise?" 

"She died in the moment she became a soldier." That was her sincere answer.

Reno narrowed his eyes at her and sighed heavily. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

The turks tried every method to make Eloise tell them if Sephiroth was dead or not. On the ither side, Eloise could only think about one matter: she couldn't kill him. Hojo was right; no matter what, Sephiroth was her mentor. Maybe for everyone else that didn't mean anything but it did for her.

Therefore, they had to keep their guest in Tseng's office. He was there most of the time but Reno took the matter in his own hands. The redhead didn't want to make her feel lonelier than she was already.

"How did it come to this yo?" They were sitting in front of each other and her eyes were boring into his soul. "Your eyes are turquoise. Your hair is a lighter color. You-"

"I know Reno. You don't have to point out every difference."

He narrowed his eyes at her and smirked playfully.

"At least your personality didn't change much."

She tried hardly not to smile. It was really hard to keep a poker face around the redhead and ironically, Reno was the only genuine friend Eloise had left.

Tseng's phone rang. His face was blank but his eyes moved to Eloise. After the call finished, he walked towards her.

"Zack escaped the facility. He took Cloud with him and are now fugitives." Tseng informed her, "We have to find them or else the Shinra army will kill them both." She was ready to leave the room when Tseng grabbed her hand, "You will assist Cissnei. You are theoretically still a Shinra soldier."

Eloise nodded and hurried to find the female turk.

That didn't take much because Cissnei was waiting for Eloise on the roof. As soon as Eloise got there, she stopped and looked around.

"The same roof he told me he liked me..." She rubbed her hands together and slapped herself slightly. She had more important matters to think about.

"Where do you think he'll go first?" Cissney asked.

Eloise bit the inside of her cheek and stared at the clouds.

"I don't know. Maybe home. Maybe somewhere with a deeper meaning for him." Eloise answered vaguely but she knew exactly where Zack will eventually end up. 

"Then we will split. You go to Gongaga while I will try to find him closer to Nibelheim. He will want to see his parents." Cissney ordered and Eloise had no choice but to comply.

It wasn't a hard task. She had to go to her hometown and wait for him and she could also see her parents. Being back home, Eloise realized she truly missed the normal life of the countryside.

"Eloise? Is that you?" 

"Mom," Eloise ran into her mother's arms and hugged her tightly. "I missed you a lot."

The elder laughed softly and patted her daughter's back.

"What's going on? Is Zack busy with missions?" 

"Yes. He became a first class SOLDIER." Eloise partially lied, "He is a hero, mom. He made it. Zack saved so many people and a lot of young soldiers look up to him. He is a hero." 

With that established, Eloise could at least give her mother the best news instead of telling her the whole truth. It was better for her parents to live in a lie rather than disappointment.

After Eloise left her house, she got a call from Cissnei. Zack was just outside the village. She ran there with all her power and found him just in time.

"Zack!"

The SOLDIER was ready to leave after an interesting conversation with the turk when his younger sistet jumped and hugged him tightly. 

"Eloise! You're alive!"

She hit him hard in the chest and scoffed.

"Of course I am. I was worried for you and Cloud! That asshole scientist experimented with your body! Jenova cells, Zack,"

He understood why she was so worried. His youbger sister didn't want them to go through the same hardships she did, the hardships he was too stupid to notice earlier.

"I'm sorry, Eloise. I told you I'd always be there for you but I was completely ignorant to what was happening to you."

Eloise tilted her head to the side and punched him in the jaw.

"You are an idiot. It's not your fault. Being alive and stupid is enough to make me feel better. You didn't know because I didn't want you to know." She calmed down and patted his shoulders, "Be good and stay alive." Eloise encouraged her brother with a big smile on her face. Zack nodded and ruffled her hair before he turned his back and left.

Unfortunately, she couldn't follow him. They were fugitives and she was still a SOLDIER, though Eloise was ready to give that up anytime. 

"So, you know where they're going?" Cissney asked, watching the SOLDIER warily.

Eloise turned to the young turk and shrugged.

"Not really."

"Do you also know if Sephiroth is dead or not?"

"Not really."

"I understand why you're protecting Zack but why Sephiroth?" Cissney asked curiously.

Eloise sighed and decided she should just accept the facts. No matter how hard she wanted to deny it, the DNA was undeniable.

"Because he is my brother, as well." 

"You know, you are too naïve. You think of him so fondly but I bet he would kill you in a second."

Cissnei wasn't mean. That was exactly what would happen if Eloise would piss Sephiroth off for real.

"I know. But I can't judge him so badly when he didn't do anything to hurt me. I don't have a reason to kill him."

"But he is a monster. He needs to be stopped before he does something to the planet."

Eloise knew exactly what Cissney was talking about. Sephiroth said it himself, that he wanted to sacrifice everyone on the planet in order to create something better.

"But isn't that exactly what Shinra does? So many people died already and the cause is what?"

Cissnei wasn't in the position to respond to that question. 

* * *

A few hours later, Eloise was dragged by Cissney to a place where her brother might have gone. It was a strange place, unfamiliar yet not really.

"Where are we?" Eloise asked the turk but the reply came from someone else.

"Banora. The home village of Angeal and Genesis." Zack answered, barely holding two men, one looking worse than the other. "He is probably here, waiting for us. Hollander and Lazard were both involved with Jenova cells, Eloise." 

"I know." 

Zack sighed. Of course she knew. She knew everything because she was also involved. Her body responded so well to the cells that Hojo just exploited her.

"I want to see him, Zack." Eloise added staring at the village melancholy.

"You were not supposed to end up like this, you know." She turned to the white haired man, his voice giving him away.

"You saw me suffer but you didn't stop it. You were only around to watch and mend, weren't you Lazard?"

It kind of hurt his body but he was terribly amused and sorry for her.

"You're right but you never lost your humanity. Even when I expectef you to lose control, Zack came and woke you up. That is why you aren't a monster. You should thank your brother, Eloise."

Zack and Eloise stared at each other for a few moments before the older sibling looked away. He was embarrassed yet he was quite proud of himself. The power of family was invincible.


	32. 32

Genesis was indeed waiting for them inside a cave that has been recently dug out. Zack grabbed her hand and held it tightly, hoping he could comfort her. They left Cloud with Lazard and came on their own. Zack was ready to face Genesis and end it once and for all but Eloise was a different story.

"If you-"

She ignored him and entered the cave. He rolled his eyes and ran after her.

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance. Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey in my own salvation" Genesis welcomed them like always, reciting from Loveless. "You're late." The redhead scowled at Zack before his eyes moved on the brunette.

Eloise wasn't really part of the plan. She just tagged along and crawled under his skin until she became a precious treasure that Genesis didn't want to stain.

Zack was relaxed. He already went through a lot and he already made a plan. The former SOLDIER wasn't going to give Genesis what he wanted, no matter what that was, but he wasn't going to kill him either.

"Loveless again, huh?" Zack started nonchalantly, walking towards the redhead.

"You have succeeded Angeal' spirit and carry a part of Sephiroth within you. Thus, the three friends are reunited once again and Loveless is reenacted."

Eloise bit her lip and stared intensely at the man she fell in love with.

"No! Open your eyes, Genesis! You abandoned people who trusted you. Look around you!" Zack exclaimed, both men knowing what he really meant.

Genesis' eyes moved on Eloise. She looked so much like Sephiroth and it pained him to remember that he exploited her just as much as Hojo. 

"When the war of beasts brings about the world's end,"

Zack was confused.

"I-I've come here to help you!"

Genesis ignored him completely.

"The Goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting."

He moved around while quoting. At one point, he swayed his hand in the air and the big 'apple' above the statue of the Goddess enlightened.

"What is that?"

Genesis smirked.

"The gift of the goddess. A heavenly boon found only in Banora."

So that was that. For Eloise, the light that emitted from the boon was mesmerizing. 

"I thought the cells were the gift."

Genesis raised an eyebrow surprised that Zack thought so much about it.

"There are various interpretations. To ponder the mystery is in itself a gift. We will all join the lifestream. You are no exception."

Zack looked around, a little scared and worried. He didn't know what was going on.

"The planet has become my guardian." Genesis' sword started to glow and a sudden pulse of stream went into it, changing the redhead into what looked like a soldier of the Life Stream.

On the other side, Eloise was captivatef by the light of the lifestream. She frowned when she saw bits of it moving around her, forcing her to focus on it instead of the battle. Eloise touched one of the bits and felt her arm vibrate. She reached out for it again but the light moved. The brunette took a step back and watched as the light surrounded her. It felt protective but at the same time it might have been a way to keep her away from Genesis.

Behind the statue was a familiar wolf with red eyes. He was staring straight at her and it looked like he was smirking. Eloise didn't understand why it appeared again; the source of mako was the lifestream but she had it in her body. Besides, the Jenova cells were protecting her from having any side reactions to it.

The wolf moved towards her, walking as if he was checking out his prey. She gulped and tried to back off but the light wouldn't let her move. Once the wolf got in front of her, he stopped. She blinked when he moved closer and sat down. He just sat down and continued to watch her like a guard.

"What-"

 **"I told you to be careful what eyes you trust.** "

That was definitely scary. The voice was familiar, she could vividly remember hearing it before inside her head. " **You trusted the wrong ones. Now, what are you going to do Eloise? You will end up all alone**." 

"I trusted the eyes that protected me."

The wolf looked amused.

**"But those eyes are evil. They will kill everything you love."**

She was in a peculiar situation but couldn't help but chuckle. It was just so surreal.

"I have his eyes. I think I'll manage that on my own."

The wolf tilted his head to the side.

 **"You are already a part of the lifestream. Let it guide you since you have no sense of responsibility."** The wolf scolded her and smirked before he ran behind the statue.

The light faded away and Eloise could finally see the battle. It was over and Genesis was on the ground. Her first instinct was to go by his side and check if he was alive.

"It's fine. He's not dead." Zack assured his sister but there was something different about the redhead.

"Zack, his hair color is back. He actually looks normal again."

The two siblings were amazed. 

* * *

Zack had to carry Genesis out. However, he didn't expect to see Cloud on a chair and Lazard on the ground, leaning against the chair. He placed Genesis down and went to Lazard. Eloise remained with the redhead, touching his cheek softly.

"You worked so hard for nothing. The gift of the goddess is life itself. I thought you would think so too."

He moved a little but not enough to show that he was conscious.

On the other side, Lazard looked tired.

"Shinra attacked us. I got some help but now it's over." He said, pointing at a small creature that Zack seemed to recognize.

After he calmed down Zack surprised her by going and taking a few Banora apples. He was hungry but moreover, he placed one in Cloud and Genesis' laps. He started to eat his own apple while he threw the last one at Eloise. She caught it and stared at it curiously.

"Ok. Let's eat. Sorry I'm not the real thing, but-"

Eloise stared at her brother blankly. He was acting quite optimistically after what he has been through.

"Is it good?" She jumped in surprise when she heard Genesis' voice. "The gift of the goddess..."

Zack raised the apple and inspected it closely.

"This apple?"

"Angeal, the dream came true..."

Zack didn't understand much of what Genesis meant but he thought back about his mentor and remembered that soft face of Angeal. 

Lazard died shortly after, becoming part of the lifestream. Besides Lazard, the creature that helped protect them also became one with the planet, saddening Zack. Eloise watched her brother mourn over what she could only guess was a friend or at least some kind of helper. Then he read something that the creature left behind and turned to her in shock.

"I've been missing for four years?!" Zack couldn't believe it. "What have you done these years?" 

"I was dormant. I woke up a few weeks before you."

The older Fair sibling was perplexed. If they kept him in a tub then where did they keep her?

He got some crazy idea because he grabbed Cloud and got ready to leave. Zack encouraged Genesis too but the redhead didn't respond.

"Can I stay a little bit more?"

Eloise wanted a few more minutes around Genesis before everything was going to end. Zack nodded and left.

The brunette sighed and caressed his cheek. He flinched but she didn't stop.

"You've been the greatest mistake of my life. You know everything about me because you were always the one to get me in the laboratory." Eloise started softly.

"Leave me."

It was merely a mumble but she heard it. 

"No matter what happened or will happen, my feelings for you will never change. I love you and I will never stop loving you, Genesis."

He heard her and it probably meant more than she will ever imagine. It was only for a moment but it happened. Eloise got on her feet and placed the apple on the chair. That was it. That was the final goodbye.

* * *

On the way to her brother, Eloise started to feel better. She finally got the chance to tell Genesis what she has been suppressing ever since that ball. It was finally over. They could all go back to a normal life.

She wasn't far behind Zack, being quite fast for a woman her size. She called him and Zack tried to cheer her up on the phone but the transmission got cut shortly after one of his jokes.

Eloise walked for a while until she heard something drop. It sounded like water. She looked around but there was nothing but then she felt her side hurt again. It stung like a fresh wound and it was bleeding like one too. Her vision became blurry and she fainted.

_Eloise opened her eyes and found herself in the same white place as before._

_"What's going on?"_

_"I'm saving you, Eloise." It was his voice again._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I scratched your side in training. It happened a long time ago. Do you remember?" He asked knowing she remembered; it hurt like hell for a week. "That became our link. I live inside you and I can induce that wound to make you unconscious."_

_"Well then, let me leave. I have to catch up to Zack. He's still a few miles away..."_

_"I can't do that." He replied coldly._

_"Why not?"_

_"Because I want to protect you. Remember Eloise, I will need your help in the future."_

_She bit her lip and tried to contain her anger. Sephiroth was the same as ever._

_"So all you need is my help. You don't care about your little pupil anymore." She said hoping he'd combat her idea but he didn't, "You became a monster."_

_"You will become one too."_

_Eloise was ready to say something against that statement but she woke up. It felt like she wasn't even unconscious in the first place._

What felt like a few minutes was actually more. Checking her watch, Eloise was unconscious for an hour. Hopefully, Zack didn't make it too far.

She walked for another two hours when she finally saw Cloud.

"Where is my brother?"

Cloud pointed at some valley. She nodded and helped him up, dragging him along more or less.

The sight they came upon was nothing like what she imagined. Dead corpses were everywhere. Guns were lying around and they even stumbled upon a dead body. However, amongst all something felt grim. It started to rain and with that sight, Eloise felt like the sky was crying. Scared of what could happen, Eloise wandered around, searching for her victorious brother. She found him and it wasn't what she wanted to see.

"Zack!"

He couldn't even raise his head. He was lying on the ground near the edge and he was full of wounds and dirt. She fell next to him while Cloud crawled to his other side.

"Shinra troops attacked us. I wanted to keep Cloud safe and I-" He coughed. Eloise' eyes widened and she grabbed his hand.

"You're an idiot. Why did you confront them alone? Why didn't you wait for me?"

Even in that state, Zack chuckled.

"Because I am a hero, ain't I?"

Zack was tired. He wasn't going to make it and he knew it so he turned to Cloud and smiled.

"Zack," The infantry man had nothing else to say. Zack sacrificed for him.

"For the both of us-" Zack could barely speak. 

"Both of us?" Cloud glanced at Eloise. She was trying to keep a cold facade but it was breaking. 

"That's right. You're gonna-you're gonna-" Eloise let go of his hand and Zack pulled Cloud's hand on his chest. "-live. You will be my living legacy."

Her eyes widened and she started to cry. 

Zack let go of Cloud and instinctively grabbed Eloise' hand. He was gripping it with all the force he had left.

"My honor, my dreams, they're yours now." He used his leftover strength to hand the Buster Sword to Cloud. The blond didn't deserve it and he knew it. 

"I'm your living legacy." Once Cloud repeated those words, Eloise whimpered.

It was real; her brother was dying. The brother she followed everywhere; the brother who was always there, smiling like a puppy.

"You promised you would always be by my side; that you'd always be there for me." She whimperef, "You promised."

Zack's heart was breaking seeing Eloise cry so much. He tried to wipe her tears off but he only left blood and dirt on her face. Eloise closed her eyes and let him do whatever he wanted.

"I will always be there for you, Eloise. I won't break my promise."

But tears were coming like the flood. She couldn't stop them. Zack turned to Cloud and grabbed his hand as well, intertwining their hands on his chest.

"Cloud will continue my work. See him as your brother. I want you to take care of each other. Watch over him, Eloise."

They glanced at each other before they both felt the grip loosening. Eloise placed her hands on his face and caressed his cheeks lovingly.

"Zack, I'm sorry. If I wouldn't have stayed behind you wouldn't have been dying now." He smiled and closed his eyes, "Zack! Don't die. I'm sorry." She hugged him and placed her head on his chest. "I'm so sorry."

Cloud watched the younger sister cry her heart out. It was a sad sight. He wasn't as hurt as Eloise but he had his own share of pain. Zack fought the army to save him. It wasn't Eloise' fault; it was his. Cloud was weak and pitiful and didn't have enough power to help or save his dear ones. He showed his pain in his own way: the blond cried out with all his might. It was a scream that gave goosebumps.

It was the final goodbye.

Cloud had to pry Eloise off her brother. She didn't want to leave and she was strong enough to fight against Cloud.

"Let me just a bit more." She pushed him away so he didn't have any choice but nod.

She watched the young soldier leave with the Buster Sword, a promise to raise up to the level of an extraordinary soldier.

"Angeal left, Genesis left, Sephiroth left and now you. It seems I bring death to everyone I care for, huh?" She didn't get any response, "It's ok. I won't do it anymore. I won't open up my heart to anyone. As long as I won't care, no one will get hurt."

With that promise made to herself, Eloise got up and wiped her tears.

On the way to Cloud, her facial expression changed. Her heart stopped beating when Zack's did. She was only a vessel and she started to act accordingly. Eloise was a weapon and nothing more. 

When they got back to Shinra, Tseng was shocked. He didn't see Eloise coming down the hallway; he saw Sephiroth. She became the image of her mentor and that only grew over the years.

The new recruits were scared of her. She became a first class SOLDIER and had to take care of the new infantry men. They were weak and weren't going to last long which she told them without any remorse.

Also, Eloise took Cloud under her wing. 

"Why did you call me here this late?"

Cloud's personality became a contradiction between Zack's behavior and his own. He was still confused who he was and what he was going to do.

But Eloise had a mission for him, no matter how much she had to sacrifice.

"You're going to kill Sephiroth for me."


End file.
